Iran Death Toll? Estimates Range Between 2,000-20,000 as Protests Hit 3rd Week

What initially began as protests concerning inflation and economic grievances on December 28, 2025, has evolved into a nationwide uprising against Iran's clerical leadership, posing one of the most serious challenges to the Islamic Republic in decades. With the protests hitting 3rd week, demonstrators across the country have taken to streets and are no longer calling for economic relief alone but they are also demanding an end to theocratic rule under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The regime's response has been swift and uncompromising. A ferocious security crackdown, carried out amid sweeping communication blackouts, has triggered what rights groups describe as one of the deadliest episodes of political violence in Iran’s recent history.

Death Toll Unclear, But Scale of Violence Unmistakable

The exact number of casualties remains unclear, reflecting Iran’s near-total information lockdown. Independent sources, foreign media outlets have all released sharply different figures.

The Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) reported that at least 3,428 protesters were killed in just 18 days, including 3,379 deaths between January 8 and 12, based on sources within Iran’s Ministry of Health. The organisation said it received testimonies of security forces executing youths who had surrendered in Rasht and “finishing off” the wounded on streets and inside hospitals, according to media reports.

As limited phone connectivity returned after a five-day blackout, even more alarming claims surfaced. A source inside Iran told CBS News that activist compilations based on hospital and medical officials pointed to at least 12,000 deaths, possibly rising to 20,000. Iran International Television also cited a figure of around 12,000, while a Washington-based source told CBS the toll stood between 10,000 and 12,000.

By contrast, Britain’s Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper informed Parliament that more than 2,000 people had been killed, warning that the number could be “significantly higher.” An unnamed Iranian official quoted by Reuters acknowledged around 2,000 deaths, blaming the unrest on what he described as “foreign-influenced terrorists.”

Visual evidence has reinforced the gravity of the crisis. Footage from a morgue in a Tehran suburb showed over 400 bodies, many bearing gunshot wounds, birdshot injuries and deep gashes, stacked for identification.

Blackouts, Hospital Raids and Regional Alarm

To stifle dissent and control the narrative, Tehran imposed one of its most severe internet shutdowns in years, crippling communications and independent reporting. Security forces have reportedly raided private hospitals in search of injured protesters and confiscated medical records.

Iran also briefly shut its commercial airspace for five hours last Thursday without explanation. Major carriers including Lufthansa, British Airways and Wizz Air diverted flights over Afghanistan. The closure coincided with reports of U.S. troop withdrawals from certain Middle East bases after Iranian warnings of possible retaliatory strikes.

U.S. President Donald Trump adopted a guarded tone, claiming the killings were “stopping” and that no executions were planned—a statement echoed by Iranian authorities after a 26-year-old protester in Karaj was spared. China, meanwhile, urged dialogue and restraint in discussions with Tehran’s foreign minister.

India Issues Fresh Advisory, Urges Nationals to Leave

Amid the escalating unrest, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday issued a renewed and strongly worded advisory urging Indian nationals to defer all travel to Iran.

“In view of the evolving situation in Iran, Indian nationals are once again advised to avoid travel to the country until further notice,” the MEA said, reiterating an earlier advisory issued on January 5.

In a separate communication, the Indian Embassy in Tehran advised Indians currently in the country to leave at the earliest possible opportunity. In a post on X, the Embassy urged students, pilgrims, business travellers and tourists to use all available means, including commercial flights, to exit Iran.

Citing the deteriorating security environment, the Embassy asked Indian citizens and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) to avoid protest sites and large gatherings, remain in constant contact with officials, monitor local developments and keep identification documents readily accessible.

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