Deadly crackdown on the 2025 to 2026 nationwide protests, with thousands reported killed
Protests over the collapse of the rial began on 28 December 2025 and turned into calls to end Khamenei's rule. Authorities imposed a nationwide blackout on 8 January 2026, which Amnesty said hid unlawful killings. Khamenei acknowledged several thousand deaths but blamed the US and Israel. Officials put the toll at 3,117, while the UN rapporteur said at least 5,000 were killed.
Editorial timeline of public reporting, not a legal finding.
- First response: merchants' concerns are valid, but no dialogue with 'rioters' - Anadolu Agency reported that in his first public reaction Khamenei said merchants' concerns were legitimate but that protest is 'different from rioting', and officials must talk with protesters, not rioters. He said some people seeking to make the country insecure 'exploit the protests of merchants', and warned of an 'enemy hand'. Iran's Khamenei says protesters' concerns valid, but warns of 'enemy hand' behind unrest
- Nationwide internet and telecommunications blackout - Amnesty International reported that the authorities imposed a nationwide internet and telecommunications blackout from 8 January. Its researcher Rebecca White said this was 'entirely intentional' and prevented the documentation of violations, including unlawful killings by security forces. Iran: Internet shutdown hides violations in escalating deadly crackdown on protesters
- Khamenei says 'several thousand' were killed and calls the US president a criminal - BBC News, citing state media, reported that Khamenei said 'those linked to Israel and the US caused massive damage and killed several thousand', adding: 'We consider the US president criminal.' He was referring to Donald Trump (@realdonaldtrump), who had urged protesters to keep going. Rights group HRANA then put the death toll at 3,090. Iran's supreme leader acknowledges thousands killed during recent protests
- Official toll of 3,117 while the UN rapporteur says at least 5,000 - Amnesty International reported that the Supreme National Security Council said 3,117 people were killed, while UN Special Rapporteur Mai Sato had said at least 5,000 were killed. Amnesty described a 'heavily militarized clampdown to hide protest massacres', with sweeping arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances. Iran: Authorities unleash heavily militarized clampdown to hide protest massacres