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.
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.
The most conservative estimates indicate that at least 2,000 people have been killed 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.
A White House official said on background on Wednesday that the United States will respond with force if Iran violently kills peaceful protesters, citing recent military operations as evidence of the Trump administration's resolve.
"The President has been clear: If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, they will get hit very hard," the official told Iran International.
"The President has demonstrated with Operation Midnight Hammer and Operation Absolute Resolve that he means what he says," the official added.
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.
Australia condemns violence by Iranian authorities and urges Tehran to respect the rights of peaceful protesters, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson told Iran International.
Canberra said it continues to strongly advocate for the human rights of the Iranian people and reiterated that Iran remains a “do not travel” destination due to a volatile security situation and a high risk of detention, adding that Australia’s consular assistance capacity is extremely limited.
The government said it has taken strong action against Iran, including expanding its autonomous sanctions framework and sanctioning 200 Iran-linked individuals and entities since September 2022, nearly 100 of them linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
