In recent days, reports have emerged that have shocked the international community: according to two senior officials from Iran's Ministry of Health, the number of deaths during the protests in the country may have exceeded 30,000 people in just two days - January 8 and 9, 2026, Time magazine reported.
These estimates significantly diverge from both the official statistics of Tehran and the data from human rights organizations, placing the events in Iran alongside the most brutal suppressions of protests in modern history.
What officials reported
According to internal data provided to Time: during January 8-9, 2026, Iranian security forces may have killed up to 30,000 people in street clashes;
the scale of these killings overwhelmed the infrastructure to such an extent that body bags ran out, and bodies were transported in 18-wheeler trucks instead of ambulances;
the figure is based on reports from hospitals collected by various medical sources, including data presented by Dr. Amir Parastoo, a German-Iranian ophthalmic surgeon who handled the data;
the official Iranian authorities had previously reported only 3,117 deaths, a significantly lower estimate.
Time clarifies that it could not independently verify the accuracy of this internal data, but it aligns with counts received from medical workers and emergency service personnel.
The discrepancy in figures is related to several factors. Iran has previously published data significantly lower - around 3,117 deaths, including both demonstrators and security forces. Some international organizations, such as the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, have confirmed around 5,000 deaths and continue to verify other cases.
Other estimated counts, based on the analysis of events over several weeks of protests, indicate varying ranges: from tens of thousands to tens of thousands in total with different inclusion criteria.
Iran is experiencing a widespread internet blackout, significantly limiting the flow of information from the country. This complicates data verification despite eyewitness accounts, documents, and reports from human rights defenders.
Protests in Iran began in late December 2025 initially in response to the economic crisis, inflation, and the fall of the rial, but quickly evolved into a broader anti-government uprising, spreading across dozens of cities and provinces. As early as January, human rights groups recorded dozens of deaths, then several hundred - but the data was very limited due to communication blockages.
The news of possible tens of thousands of deaths has already attracted the attention of the media, human rights defenders, and political analysts worldwide. The media compares the potential scale of casualties to the largest repressive events of the 20th century. Human rights organizations insist on the need for a transparent investigation and attention to documented cases. International groups are concerned about the blockade of information and obstacles to data verification.
If the estimate of around 30,000 deaths over two days is confirmed, it may indicate a large-scale use of violence against protesters comparable to the largest mass shootings in the history of clashes between the regime and the population. However, due to the lack of independent sources and limited access to data, the exact figure remains a subject of debate and further research.
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