Iran accuses US and Israel of provoking unrest, opposition claims state forces responsible for majority of deaths.
Tehran, Iran – Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has acknowledged that “several thousands” of Iranians have been killed since protests started in late December among shopkeepers in downtown Tehran, before gradually spreading to big and small cities.
That confirmation is unusual because Khamenei has typically avoided commenting on death tolls during previous protests in Iran over the years.
But there are stark contrasts in the narratives provided by the Iranian state, foreign-based opposition, and United States President Donald Trump over exactly what has happened during the unrest, and what could be coming next.
What do we know for certain?
The protests started over economic grievances in business and trade districts of the capital city on December 28, and morphed into nationwide expressions of anger and frustration at the political establishment over the days that followed.
The nights of January 8 and January 9 were by far the deadliest, according to state officials and media, as well as foreign-based outlets and eyewitness accounts on the ground.
Abbas Masjedi Arani, the head of Iran’s medical examiner authority, told state media that many of the casualties were shot in the chest or the head from close range or from rooftops with the aim of inflicting mortal wounds, while others were stabbed to death.
State outlets said most protesters were young Iranians, many in their 20s.
Iranian authorities have fully cut off access on the night of January 8, as well as mobile communications, so it was not even possible to call rescue services in cases of emergency.
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https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/19/narrative-war-who-killed-thousands-during-irans-nationwide-protests
