12,000 deaths in Iran protests, opposition claims: Is a media blackout obscuring the truth?

Protestors pose for a photograph as they burn an image of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a rally held in Solidarity with Iran's Uprising, organised by The national Council of Resistance of Iran, on Whitehall in central London on January 11, 2026, to protest against the Iranian regime's crackdown on internet access and "recognise their right to self-defence against the regime's forces". (Photo by CARLOS JASSO / AFP)

Iran International alleges at least 12,000 people were killed by security forces during recent nationwide protests, far exceeding previous estimates. The outlet claims the deaths were part of a coordinated crackdown, but independent verification remains difficult.

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An Iranian opposition outlet has alleged that the death toll from Iran’s latest nationwide protests is far higher than previously reported, claiming that at least 12,000 people were killed by state security forces during a coordinated crackdown earlier this month.

According to Iran International, the killings represent “the largest killing in Iran’s modern history”, a figure that dwarfs earlier estimates by human rights groups and international media, which have placed confirmed deaths at several hundred.

Independent verification of casualties remains extremely difficult because of tight restrictions on information inside Iran, including internet shutdowns and media controls.

Allegations of organised and systematic killings

Iran International reported that most of the deaths occurred over the nights of January 8 and 9, with the violence carried out primarily by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Basij units.

The outlet said the killings were not the result of spontaneous clashes but part of a planned and coordinated operation carried out across multiple cities.

According to the report, the operation was conducted on the direct orders of Ali Khamenei, with the approval of senior officials throughout Iran’s political system. It claimed that an order authorising the use of live ammunition was issued by the Supreme National Security Council.

Sources and verification process

Iran International said its estimate of at least 12,000 deaths was based on figures held internally by Iran’s own security institutions.

The outlet stated that the information was compiled and cross-checked using multiple sources, including individuals close to the Supreme National Security Council and the presidential office, sources within the IRGC, eyewitness accounts, medical officials, and hospital and clinic data from several cities.

“This data was examined and verified through multiple stages and in accordance with strict professional standards before being announced,” Iran International said.

The report added that a significant number of those killed were under the age of 30.

Information blackout and delayed publication

The outlet said it delayed publishing its findings while verifying information amid what it described as a coordinated nationwide blackout.

It said internet disruptions, media shutdowns, intimidation of journalists, and communication restrictions were intended not only to maintain security control but also to prevent the true scale of the killings from becoming public.

“In a country where authorities deliberately restrict access to information, producing an accurate assessment is time-consuming,” the report said, adding that releasing partial casualty figures risked understating the magnitude of the violence.

Iran International said that by Sunday, the volume of evidence and the convergence of independent accounts had reached a point where a more reliable estimate could be published.

Nationwide scope of violence

The outlet said its editorial board reviewed information through a multi-stage process that included sources in Mashhad, Kermanshah, and Isfahan, as well as testimonies from families of victims and healthcare workers.

It concluded that the killings were unprecedented in Iran’s contemporary history in terms of geographic spread, intensity of violence, and the number of deaths over a short period. Most victims, it said, were shot by IRGC and Basij forces during coordinated operations.

The report acknowledged that confirming a final death toll would require additional documentation, particularly under ongoing communication restrictions. It noted that during previous protest movements, Iranian authorities had withheld or revised official casualty figures.

Call for documentation and international scrutiny

Iran International said it would continue refining its estimates by collecting further evidence and called on Iranians inside and outside the country to submit videos, photographs, testimonies, medical records, and other verifiable material related to the protests.

It said verified findings would be shared with relevant international bodies.

“The Islamic Republic cannot conceal this crime by cutting the people of Iran off from the world,” the outlet said. “The truth will be recorded, and the names of those killed will not be buried in silence.”