Reza Moradi, a 17-year-old protester from the city of Azna in Lorestan province, died in hospital on Monday after being shot by security forces during demonstrations in western Iran last week, a source close to the family told Iran International.
The source told Iran International that Reza was shot by security forces during the protests on Thursday, January 1, 2026 in front of Azna’s central police station.
Security forces shot him with two bullets, one to the head and another to the lower torso, the source added.
The source said Reza was from the Abdolvand tribe, part of Iran’s Lur minority.
Video evidence verified and analyzed by Iran International from the evening of January 1 shows Reza unconscious and bleeding from the side of his head. Two sources identified the teenager in the footage as Reza.
After he was shot, citizens at the scene transferred him to Valian Hospital in Aligudarz. The source said the hospital was under heavy security and visits were not allowed, adding that only once, after repeated insistence, was Reza’s mother allowed to see him briefly.
The source said Reza died in hospital on Monday around 10am local time.
The source added that the family has approached several state institutions on Monday, including the police and the Revolutionary Guards, to receive Reza’s body, but authorities have so far refused to hand it over to family for burial.
Reza was the eldest child in the family and his father is a labourer, the source said.
“The family’s financial situation was poor," the source said adding that Reza dropped out of school and worked as an auto body repair and paint apprentice.
Asked about Reza’s motivation for joining the protests, the source said it was due to “poverty, hardship and rising prices,” adding that he was interested in sports, particularly wrestling.
