Protests unfolding across Iran have escalated into a far more violent and deadly phase, with the number of casualties steadily climbing as the authorities intensify their campaign to reassert control. In an effort to suppress the unrest, the state has deployed heavily armed security forces across major urban centres, transforming everyday city life into one marked by fear, uncertainty and confrontation.
Witnesses inside the country have spoken of scenes marked by extreme militarisation and rapidly escalating violence. What began as demonstrations driven by economic collapse, inflation and worsening living conditions has now evolved into a direct and open challenge to the ruling establishment. As security forces moved decisively to crush the protests, residents described neighbourhoods turning into zones of intimidation and conflict.
For days, communication with the outside world remained severely restricted after authorities imposed an internet blackout as part of the crackdown. Only scattered and fragmented accounts managed to emerge during this period. However, as limited connectivity and international calling gradually returned on Wednesday, people inside Iran told journalists that armed security units were visible across multiple cities, with Tehran in particular witnessing an overwhelming security presence.
According to accounts cited by the Associated Press, anti-riot police wearing helmets and full body armour were stationed at major intersections, equipped with batons, shields, shotguns and tear-gas launchers. Nearby, members of the Revolutionary Guard’s volunteer Basij force were seen carrying firearms and batons, while plainclothes security personnel moved through public spaces, closely monitoring civilians and intervening when they deemed necessary.
One witness described the atmosphere as resembling a battlefield rather than a civilian city, saying police lines blocked roads while security forces observed crowds from rooftops and street corners. The sheer scale of the deployment contributed to a sense that ordinary life had been suspended.
Several witnesses also reported that banks and government buildings were set ablaze during the unrest. The internet shutdown compounded the chaos, leaving banks unable to process transactions and adding to a feeling of paralysis. Although shops remained open in some areas of Tehran, foot traffic was sparse and tense. Even the Grand Bazaar, long seen as a symbolic centre of dissent, reopened only under what witnesses described as intense pressure from security forces.
Those who spoke about the situation did so anonymously, fearing arrest, harassment or retaliation. Many said that the atmosphere of surveillance and intimidation made even casual conversations risky.
Hospital workers, meanwhile, described a disturbing shift in the nature of injuries they were treating. Early in the protests, patients typically arrived with pellet wounds or injuries consistent with beatings. In recent days, however, doctors reported an influx of people suffering from gunshot wounds and severe skull fractures. One doctor described the situation as a mass-casualty emergency, noting that hospitals were overwhelmed, understaffed and struggling to cope as the wounded continued to arrive.
Eyewitnesses told The New York Times that security forces had begun firing live ammunition, sometimes with automatic weapons, at unarmed protesters. Some recounted hearing prolonged bursts of gunfire and seeing individuals collapse in the streets, suggesting that force was being used indiscriminately in certain areas.
Despite the communications blackout, visual evidence of the toll has started to surface. Images circulating on social media show rows of body bags laid out on morgue floors, while videos posted by opposition activists depict families weeping over bloodied bodies. Iranian state television has also aired footage from morgues, showing neatly arranged body bags under harsh lighting, inadvertently underscoring the scale of the fatalities.
On the streets, witnesses said plainclothes officers frequently stopped people at random, questioning them and inspecting their phones. Others reported raids on apartment buildings, with security forces searching for satellite internet equipment such as Starlink terminals, as authorities sought to further restrict the flow of information.
Across all accounts, a common sentiment emerged: a mix of fear, exhaustion and grim determination. While the violence has been severe, many witnesses said it has not silenced dissent but instead hardened public resolve. According to the latest figures released by the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 2,403 protesters have been killed since the demonstrations began, and no fewer than 18,137 people have been arrested nationwide, highlighting the immense human cost of the ongoing crackdown.
