At least 12,000 people were killed in what is being described as the largest killing in Iran’s contemporary history, carried out largely over two consecutive nights on January 8 and 9, according to an assessment by Iran International’s editorial board.
The conclusion was reached following a detailed review of multiple sources and medical data, with publication delayed until information from various channels converged. The assessment stated that Iran is currently under a coordinated blackout aimed not only at maintaining security control but also at concealing the scale of the killings. This has been reflected in widespread internet shutdowns, disrupted communications, media closures and intimidation of journalists, witnesses and families of victims.
The review was based on a multi-stage verification process drawing on information from a source close to the Supreme National Security Council, two sources within the presidential office, accounts from several sources inside the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Mashhad, Kermanshah and Isfahan, testimonies from eyewitnesses and families of those killed, field reports, data linked to medical centres, and information provided by doctors and nurses across multiple cities. According to the findings, many of those killed were under the age of 30.
Trump clarifies: Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, when asked to clarify his social media post stating that “help is on its way” to protesters in Iran, declined to elaborate. Speaking to reporters during a visit to Detroit, Trump said they would have to “figure that one out,” adding that no one had been able to provide him with an accurate figure on the number of protesters killed in recent demonstrations.
World leaders condemn massacre: International condemnation continued to mount, with British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Tuesday condemning the Iranian leadership for what she described as the “horrendous and brutal killing” of protesters. She said the United Kingdom had summoned the Iranian ambassador to underline the gravity of the situation and demanded that Iranian authorities respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of their citizens.
Cooper told the British Parliament that her government would move forward with legislation to impose full and further sanctions and sectoral measures against Iran. Earlier, leaders of France, Britain and Germany issued a joint statement condemning the killings and urging Iranian authorities to refrain from violence, stressing that Iran has the responsibility to protect its population and allow freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without fear of reprisal.