The death toll from Iran’s ongoing protests against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reached around 2,000, according to reports by international media outlets, citing an Iranian official. The officials reveal nearly 2,000 people have died since the protests began, blaming what he described as “terrorist elements” for the fatalities. This figure is significantly higher than the numbers previously released by human rights groups and reported by sections of the international media.
At the same time, the London-based outlet Iran International has reported a far more alarming toll. According to its investigation, Iranian security forces have killed approximately 12,000 people during anti-government demonstrations, describing the events as the largest massacre in the country’s modern history. The outlet noted that while officially confirmed deaths remain in the hundreds, independent verification has been extremely difficult due to Iran’s strict control over information and communication. Iran International reported that the mass killings occurred primarily on January 8 and 9. The report alleged that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij were responsible for carrying out the violence. According to the outlet, the events were not spontaneous or isolated clashes between protesters and security forces but rather a coordinated and systematic crackdown.
The report further claimed that the operation was conducted under the direct orders of Ali Khamenei and with the awareness and approval of senior officials within Iran’s political leadership. It stated that the Supreme National Security Council had authorised the use of live ammunition against protesters. Iran International said its estimate of 12,000 deaths closely aligns with internal figures held by Iran’s own security institutions. The figures, the outlet said, were compiled by cross-checking information from multiple sources, including the Supreme National Security Council, the presidential office, the IRGC, hospital and clinic staff, and eyewitness accounts. An editor involved in the investigation stated that the data was published only after meeting rigorous professional standards and undergoing several layers of verification.
According to Iran International, most of those killed were under the age of 30. The outlet said delays in publishing the findings were caused by a nationwide internet blackout. It added that media censorship, intimidation of journalists and witnesses, and restrictions on communication were aimed not only at maintaining security control but also at concealing the true scale of the killings.
By Sunday, the outlet said additional evidence had emerged that corroborated information gathered from different sources, allowing it to release what it described as a more reliable estimate. Its editorial board reviewed material from sources in Mashhad, Kermanshah, and Isfahan, along with testimonies from victims’ families and healthcare workers through a multi-layered verification process. The report also noted that Iranian authorities have previously concealed or altered official death tolls during past protests and crackdowns. “The Islamic Republic cannot erase this crime by isolating the Iranian people from the world,” Iran International said. “The truth will be recorded. The names of the victims will not fade into silence.”
