Officials in President Pezeshkian’s government, in a shameful attempt to downplay the scale of the largest street massacre in Iran’s contemporary history, have sought to cast doubt on the figures reported by Iran International. Yet the statistics released by the government itself constitute further evidence of their dishonesty.
Since issuing a public call for the submission of documentation on those killed in the National Revolution, Iran International has received information confirming the deaths of 6,634 individuals. Of these, fewer than 100 namesoverlap with the 2,986-name list published by the Pezeshkian government.
In other words, without access to official institutional data—and relying solely on reports from citizen journalists and the families of those killed, amid intense security pressure and internet restrictions—Iran International has documented, within just 20 days, a death toll more than twice the figure claimed by the government.
The information received includes victims’ names, photographs, cities of residence, circumstances of death, and testimonies provided by families and relatives.
So far, the verified details of 1,141 individuals have been published on the “Truth Registration Map” on Iran International’s website, and this process continues daily.
Since the call was issued, information on an average of nearly 300 additional victims per day has been registered in Iran International’s database. The process of updating figures and documenting victims will therefore continue not only in the coming days, but in the weeks and months ahead.
It must be noted that this vast volume of information has been gathered while internet access remains severely restricted, with millions of Iranians—particularly in smaller and deprived areas—unable to connect. Widespread security pressure and threats against families to prevent them from speaking out have further complicated efforts to collect comprehensive data.
Under these conditions, the courage of those who remain committed to the truth and refuse to allow the memory and names of the victims to be erased has played a decisive role in documenting this crime.
Bodies are still being returned
In its second statement, issued on 5 Bahman (Jan. 25), the Editorial Board of Iran International announced that at least 36,500 people had been killed during the National Revolution.
Verified reports indicate that despite nearly a month having passed since the massacres, the bodies of some protesters are still being returned to their families. Numerous reports received by Iran International also point to dozens of missing persons and the existence of many unidentified bodies.
There are repeated reports of mass burials of victims in various regions, making it impossible to obtain a complete picture of the full scale of the crime at this time.
A government that takes pride in evidence of a crime
Following the publication of its list of the dead, government officials promoted it as though they had released a document worthy of pride.
In an effort to normalize the crime and reduce human lives to mere numbers, the Pezeshkian government called on individuals and media outlets—particularly Iran International—to publish their own figures.
The statistics presented in this statement clearly demonstrate that the government loyal to Khamenei is incapable even of releasing a list aligned with its own narrative.
The government’s published list contains numerous irregularities, including the repetition of at least 25 names with identical national ID numbers, suggesting haste and disorder. Moreover, nearly a month after the killings of 18 and 19 Dey (Jan. 8–9), the figures released do not even match the government’s own claimed number of 3,317 deaths.
The government has attributed this discrepancy to the presence of unidentified bodies. The question remains: how is it that such a vast state apparatus has still failed, after all this time, to identify many of the bodies?
State-affiliated media have also claimed—through a distorted narrative—that large numbers of government agents were killed during the protests, with some officials citing a figure of 200 security personnel. Yet the government’s published list contains no mention of the names or number of these alleged casualties.
Renewed call for submitting documentation
The objective of the Islamic Republic is to conceal an unprecedented crime. The only way to confront this effort is through exposure and transparency.
As emphasized in its original call for documentation, Iran International stands ready to cooperate with human rights organizations, media outlets, journalists, researchers, and independent institutions to document, examine, and ensure international coverage of this crime.
All members of the public—especially the families and relatives of those killed, citizen journalists, and anyone in possession of reliable and verifiable information—are urged to share their documentation with Iran International via the IntelMedia chatbot.
