Mourners in western city of Hamedan demanded justice Thursday at the funeral of two young men shot dead by Islamic Republic forces, chanting “Death to the oppressor” and turning the burial into a mass denunciation of state violence.
“They killed my brother — I will kill those who did it,” mourners shouted, according to video footage shared with Iran International.
Others cried, “Iranians will die before accepting humiliation,” while crowds sang the anthem “Ey Iran,” long a rallying cry at anti-government protests.
The victims, named by local sources as Mehdi Abaei and Alireza Karbasi, were shot outside Hamedan during what state authorities called a security operation. Fars News Agency, which is affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, reported that forces opened fire on their vehicle near the Tareek-Darreh area after suspecting it of drone-related activity.
“Officers first fired warning shots, then issued a stop order before targeting the car directly,” Fars wrote.
The young men were on a recreational off-road trip — a common pastime in the area — and had no known political links, according to local reports.
One other passenger was also wounded.
The Armed Forces Judicial Organization of Hamedan confirmed the deaths and said a formal probe was underway.
“A case has been opened and field investigations are ongoing,” its local chief told state media.
Authorities have not released the names or ranks of those involved in the shooting. Sources familiar with the case said the unit responsible was affiliated with the Basij paramilitary.
The killings occurred during a wave of heightened domestic surveillance and arrests following the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas.
Iranian authorities have detained at least 700 people on suspicion of collaboration with Israel, with hundreds reportedly arrested in Tehran. Simultaneously, checkpoints have been deployed across major cities, and a public hotline has been created to report “suspicious behavior.”
The state has also escalated its campaign of deporting Afghan refugees.
