Basij Forces Fire Live Ammunition at Crowds

Iranian security forces are systematically slaughtering peaceful protesters in what human rights groups are explicitly calling a “mass killing” operation, marking yet another horrific chapter in the Islamic Republic’s decades-long war against its own people.

Story Snapshot

At least 192 protesters confirmed killed since late December 2025, with actual toll likely much higher
Security forces using live ammunition, metal pellets, and lethal force against largely peaceful demonstrators
Supreme Leader Khamenei and IRGC commanders have explicitly ordered harsh crackdown with “no leniency”
Internet shutdowns and hospital raids are concealing the true scope of the bloodshed

Iran’s Deadly Pattern of Mass Murder

The Islamic Republic has once again demonstrated its willingness to massacre its own citizens to maintain power. Since protests erupted in late December 2025, Iranian security forces have killed at least 28 confirmed protesters between December 31 and January 3 alone, according to Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. The Iran Human Rights organization reports the death toll has reached at least 192, but warns the actual number is likely far higher due to communication blackouts and systematic cover-ups.

This latest wave of state-sponsored violence follows the regime’s established playbook of brutal suppression. The 2019 fuel protests saw hundreds killed in just days, while the 2022-23 “Woman, Life, Freedom” uprising resulted in at least 538 deaths. Each time, the international community issued statements and imposed limited sanctions, only to watch Iran repeat its murderous tactics with impunity.

Regime Orders Systematic Killing

The current bloodbath is not random violence but a coordinated campaign ordered from the highest levels. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei publicly declared that “rioters should be put in their place,” while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Lorestan province announced the end of “tolerance” and threatened to target protesters “without leniency.” This represents a green light for security forces to use lethal force against anyone daring to demand basic human rights.

Iran’s judiciary chief has ordered prosecutors to show “no mercy” and expedite trials that could result in death sentences. State media is already broadcasting forced confessions from teenage girls accused of “leading riots,” a despicable tactic designed to terrorize families and justify further executions. The regime’s systematic dehumanization of protesters as “rioters” and “terrorists” follows the same propaganda playbook used by authoritarian regimes throughout history.

Internet Blackouts Hide True Horror

The Iranian regime has implemented widespread internet shutdowns and communication restrictions to conceal the full extent of its crimes. Hospitals across multiple provinces are reportedly overwhelmed with gunshot victims, while security forces are allegedly dragging wounded protesters from medical facilities to detention centers. This deliberate obstruction of medical care and information flow suggests the actual death toll far exceeds confirmed reports.

Verified videos smuggled out despite the blackouts show Basij paramilitary forces and IRGC units firing live ammunition directly from their bases into crowds of unarmed civilians. Security forces are using rifles, shotguns with metal pellets, and other military-grade weapons against protesters whose only crime is demanding freedom from an oppressive theocracy that has ruled through fear for over four decades.

Iran rights group warns of ‘mass killing’ of protesters.

Protests have swelled in recent days despite an internet blackout that has lasted more than 60 hours, according to monitor

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The targeting of ethnic minorities, including Kurds, Lurs, and Baluchis in provinces like Lorestan, Ilam, and Sistan-Baluchestan, reveals the regime’s systematic persecution of Iran’s diverse population. These communities have faced disproportionate violence, reminiscent of the “Bloody Friday” massacre in Zahedan in 2022 when security forces opened fire after Friday prayers.