As Iran faces widespread protests and a near-total communications blackout, eyewitness accounts, videos, and hospital testimonies indicate one of the deadliest crackdowns in the country in more than a decade.

Axar.az, citing New York Times, reports that witnesses say security forces have fired live ammunition, sometimes indiscriminately, at unarmed protesters, with reports of snipers positioned on rooftops in Tehran and other cities.

Medical workers describe a sharp escalation in violence: protesters who initially arrived with pellet and tear-gas injuries are now being treated for gunshot wounds, skull fractures, and close-range shots to the head, neck, and chest. Several hospitals reported mass-casualty situations, with some wounded protesters allegedly arrested before or after treatment.

Despite the blackout, images and videos have emerged showing rows of body bags, chaotic emergency rooms, and sustained gunfire in protest areas. Human rights groups have struggled to verify casualty figures, but estimates range from more than 500 to possibly 3,000 dead nationwide. Iranian officials have acknowledged heavy casualties but blame “terrorists” and foreign-backed groups, while witnesses and activists accuse the government of a deliberate “shoot to kill” policy.

Rights organizations warn that the true death toll may be far higher and say the violence appears more severe than during previous protests, including those in 2022. Despite the crackdown, protesters say fear is fading and resistance continues.