TERRAN – A report coming from Iran describes what could be one of the worst cases of state violence against civilians in recent history. As many as 30,000 people may have been killed across Iran on January 8 and 9, based on claims shared with TIME by two senior officials in Iran’s Ministry of Health.
The reported figure comes from hospital logs and tallies kept by doctors and first responders. It suggests extreme force during a nationwide uprising that began in late December 2025. The unrest started with anger over economic collapse, then spread into calls to end the Islamic Republic’s rule. Hospitals in major cities, including Tehran and Shiraz, reportedly struggled to cope.
Morgues filled up, and authorities allegedly used trucks to move bodies after facilities reached capacity.
A confidential count inside the Ministry of Health listed 30,304 deaths recorded in civilian hospitals by late last week, according to Dr. Amir Parasta, a German-Iranian eye surgeon who reviewed the data.
The count reportedly does not include people taken straight to military morgues, those killed in rural areas, or bodies never entered into official systems. For that reason, the real number could be higher. Activists and human rights groups have reported lower totals, but still in the thousands, since protests began. Verification has been difficult because authorities imposed a near-total internet shutdown.
Accounts say the worst violence happened on January 8 and 9. Security forces, reportedly acting under direct orders, used live ammunition against crowds. Witnesses described streets filled with protesters chanting “Death to the Dictator” and “Death to Khamenei,” followed by heavy gunfire.
Cartridge cases reportedly covered the ground, then were cleared overnight by municipal crews. Demonstrations were reported in all 31 provinces, with claims that millions joined nationwide.
Large-scale killings in Iran
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is described as central to the crackdown. Sources familiar with internal orders said that on January 9, he instructed the Supreme National Security Council to end the protests “by any means necessary.”
Security units reportedly received clear direction to shoot to kill and show no mercy. What began as protests over prices and jobs then shifted into a large-scale killing spree, according to the report’s sources.
As pressure rose at home and abroad, Khamenei reportedly moved into a fortified underground bunker in Tehran. Opposition-linked outlets and people close to the government said the relocation was driven by fears of a U.S. missile strike.
Those fears were tied to President Donald Trump’s warnings and U.S. military moves in the region, including the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.
Trump’s public messages urging protesters to keep going, along with statements suggesting U.S. action if killings continued, reportedly increased anxiety inside Iran’s leadership. Khamenei’s third son, Masoud, was said to be running daily operations of the Supreme Leader’s office, passing messages to government branches while Khamenei remained largely isolated.
Iran’s public messaging tells a different story. Hardliners tied to Khamenei announced 3,117 deaths on January 21. They described the dead as a mix of protesters, security forces, and people labeled as foreign-backed “rioters” or “terrorists,” with claims of links to the United States and Israel.
Crimes against humanity
Khamenei has also referred to “thousands” killed in speeches, while blaming outside powers and promising no retreat against what he called “saboteurs.” The internal Ministry of Health figures, as described in the report, point to a far larger toll and suggest an effort to hide the true scale.
The protests began in late December 2025 after the rial fell to new lows. Inflation rose, energy shortages worsened, and long-running mismanagement fueled public rage. Early action included bazaar merchants in Tehran closing shops.
It quickly expanded, with university students and everyday citizens joining rallies and chanting against the Supreme Leader. Some crowds also voiced support for exiled figures, including Reza Pahlavi, son of the late shah.
As unrest grew, the state response reportedly expanded, too. Reports described mass arrests, raids on hospitals treating injured protesters, and pressure on doctors and volunteers who helped the wounded.
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Iran Human Rights, condemned the crackdown as crimes against humanity. They pointed to what they described as systematic repression and planned killings.
Observers also drew stark historical comparisons. Analysts said a death toll of this size in 48 hours would rival major atrocities, including the Nazi massacre at Babyn Yar in 1941, where more than 33,000 people were executed over two days.
Anger and Outrage
In Iran, the killings described in the report were said to have taken place across many cities at once, not in a single location, which overwhelmed even parts of the state’s own system.
International reaction has been strong, though limited by the communications blackout. The United Nations and Western governments voiced alarm and called for independent investigations.
Trump increased his rhetoric, calling Khamenei a “sick criminal” and hinting at more steps, while the U.S. imposed sanctions on officials linked to the crackdown.
Inside Iran, the government appeared to have restored some control through force, but reports suggested the anger runs deep across regions and age groups. Families of victims said authorities forced them to pay for the bullets used to kill their relatives, a practice described as both cruel and extortionate.
As more details surface, the events of January 8 and 9 are being described as proof of how far the state will go to keep power. Whether the killings mark a turning point for the Islamic Republic or another brutal chapter remains unclear, but the growing list of names and numbers is unlikely to fade from public memory.
