The Iranian government released its first official fatality report following weeks of nationwide unrest, citing 3,117 deaths. The statement, issued by the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs, categorized 2,427 of the deceased as “martyrs” , a designation covering security forces and “innocent bystanders” allegedly targeted by foreign-backed terrorists. The remaining 690 victims were labeled as “terrorists and rioters.”
Iranian government announces official death toll from nationwide protests
◼️ 3,117 people killed, with 2,427 security personnel
◼️ US, several European countries imposed new round of sanctions on Iran for ‘crackdown on protesters’https://t.co/eE2HNC2lSS pic.twitter.com/cxnB8rD3ib
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) January 21, 2026
The official figures stand in stark contrast to estimates from independent human rights organizations and international media. The Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) warned that the actual toll could exceed 25,000, describing the crackdown as a “genocide under digital darkness.” Other reports from The Sunday Times and CBS News, citing networks of Iranian doctors, suggest between 12,000 and 20,000 fatalities. Protests, which peaked on January 8 and 9, saw security forces reportedly using heavy machine guns and live ammunition to disperse crowds demanding the end of clerical rule.
In a bid to control the narrative, the Tehran municipality led foreign journalists on a tour of damaged infrastructure, including 22 completely charred buses and blackened mosques. While officials claim “full control” has been restored, the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is now days away from the Persian Gulf as President Trump
