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- By Shivangi Sharma
- Sun, 11 Jan 2026 05:25 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Disturbing eyewitness accounts from Iran are emerging after a sweeping crackdown on protests, with medics and demonstrators describing overwhelmed hospitals and mounting fatalities. A medic at a Tehran hospital told the BBC that many protesters arrived with fatal gunshot wounds. “Around 38 people died, many as soon as they reached the emergency beds,” she said, adding that medical staff were unable to perform CPR in several cases.
“There were direct shots to the heads of young people and to their hearts as well,” the medic said, noting that most victims were between 20 and 25 years old.
Hospitals Overwhelmed As Injured Seek Help
Protesters in another Tehran neighbourhood told CNN they tried to help a man in his mid-60s who had around 40 pellets lodged in his legs and a broken arm. They said attempts to secure medical treatment at multiple hospitals were met with “complete chaos,” reflecting the strain on Iran’s healthcare facilities.
Doctors in Tehran also described seeing severe injuries, including a man shot in the eye, with the bullet exiting through the back of his head.
At Poursina Hospital in Rasht, northern Iran, a hospital source said 70 bodies were brought in on Friday night alone. The morgue reportedly reached full capacity, forcing staff to stack bodies on top of one another and later move them to the hospital’s prayer room to make space.
A medic in Shiraz told the BBC that large numbers of injured protesters were being brought in and that the hospital did not have enough surgeons to cope with the influx.
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Protests Spread Nationwide
The protests began on December 28 as demonstrations in Tehran’s bazaars over soaring inflation. They have since spread to more than 100 cities, posing one of the biggest challenges to Iran’s leadership in years. Protesters described scenes of mass participation across age groups, calling the atmosphere “hopeful” before security forces moved in.
Iran is undergoing a revolution and perhaps the largest explicitly anti-Islamic regime protests in history. This is the capital Tehran.
— Dr. Maalouf (@realMaalouf) January 9, 2026
Protesters are taking over cities across the country and the regime now faces a REAL chance of falling.
I ask again, why is the media silent? pic.twitter.com/dpHZcDaRxt
Footage emerging from Iran shows protesters burning vehicles in Tehran and a government building set on fire in Karaj, near the capital. The Iranian army has since announced it will join security forces in defending public property.
Iranian authorities issued coordinated warnings on Friday, with the National Security Council threatening “decisive” legal action against what it called “armed vandals.” Police have denied that anyone was killed in Tehran on Friday night, though eyewitnesses and medics continue to report heavy casualties.