Iran's security forces are using lethal force against protesters nationwide, informed sources told Iran International, with preliminary estimates pointing to mass casualties as a sweeping crackdown unfolds amid a near-total internet shutdown.
Footage sent to Iran International from Kahrizak, south of Tehran, shows several dead bodies in body bags.
According to eyewitness accounts accompanying the videos, dozens of bodies are visible at the site, with additional bodies reportedly located in another nearby industrial shed.
A series of videos obtained by @Vahid from Tehran’s Kahrizak forensic center show rows of bodies reportedly transported by pickup trucks after the January 8 crackdown on Iran protests.
In one clip, an on-screen label refers to “photo number … out of 250,” suggesting the scale of fatalities.
Two eyewitnesses who visited Kahrizak in search of their loved ones told Iran International that they saw more than 400 bodies there.
The most conservative estimates indicate that at least 2,000 people have been killed across Iran over the past 48 hours.
A doctor in the northern city of Rasht told Iran International that one hospital alone received at least 70 bodies.
On Friday alone, 44 bodies were transferred to Madani Hospital in Karaj and 36 to Ghaem Hospital in Karaj.
Medical sources in other cities also reported a high number of fatalities to Iran International.
Videos earlier sent to Iran International from Fardis, Karaj, and Alghadir Hospital in eastern Tehran showed similar scenes of dead bodies falling on the ground, pointing to an unfolding mass killing that is not confined to a limited number of cities.
The internet shutdown that started on January 8 have made it impossible to obtain a full picture of events on the ground. However, the volume and consistency of incoming accounts suggest that lethal force is being widely used to disperse protesters.
Sources describe particularly intense violence in areas including Fardis in Karaj, and parts of Tehran, while stressing that similar reports are emerging from many other locations across the country including the western provinces of Ilam and Kermanshah.
Despite the near-total internet blackout, videos and messages continue to reach Iran International through limited channels, including Starlink users. These users are largely based in major cities and more affluent areas, leaving large parts of the country with little visibility. Even so, journalists say they are receiving credible information indicating that mass protests are continuing nationwide.
Independent verification remains extremely difficult under current conditions.
