Recent reports indicate that Iranian protesters are enduring their harshest period yet, as security forces intensify their crackdown with mass killings and executions, actions some are describing as “genocide.”

The Sunday Times has reviewed a report, compiled by doctors in the region, estimating that at least 16,500 protesters have been killed, with over 330,000 others injured by security forces. This assessment paints a grim picture of the escalating violence.

The report characterizes the situation as an “utter slaughter” and raises concerns that the actual figures could be even higher. Access to hospitals has been severely restricted, and communication networks are almost entirely shut down, making it difficult to determine the full extent of the casualties.

According to this report, a significant number of those killed are reportedly under the age of 30. This highlights the devastating impact on Iran’s youth as the government ramps up its efforts to stifle dissent.

In a statement on Sunday, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, confirmed that “several thousands” have died since the protests began on December 28.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged Sunday that “several thousands” have been killed since protests erupted Dec. 28.

In a televised address, he blamed demonstrators, calling them “foot-soldiers of the U.S.” and falsely claiming protesters were armed with imported live ammunition.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that as of day 22 of the protests, verified figures show 3,919 people killed, with 8,949 additional deaths under investigation, 2,109 severely injured, and 24,669 detainees.

HRANA noted that the true toll is likely far higher due to the internet shutdown.

Professor Amir Parasta, an Iranian-German eye surgeon and medical director of Munich MED, said in The Sunday Times report that doctors across Iran are “shocked and crying,” despite having experience treating war injuries.

Eye surgeon Amir Parasta called the crackdown “a whole new level of brutality.” (UGC via AP)

“This is a whole new level of brutality,” Parasta said. He added that Starlink terminals smuggled into Iran have been the only means of communication since authorities cut internet access on Jan. 8.

Eyewitnesses who fled Iran also described snipers targeting protesters’ heads, mass shootings and systematic blinding using pellet guns.

One former Iranian resident said in the report that doctors reported more than 800 eye removals in a single night in the capital alone, with possibly more than 8,000 people blinded nationwide.

“This is genocide under the cover of digital darkness,” Parasta said.

Alongside the street killings, executions have surged dramatically, according to Ali Safavi, a senior official with the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).

Safavi told Fox News Digital that 2,200 people were executed in 2025, while 153 have already been hanged in the first 18 days of January 2026, averaging more than eight executions per day.

President Trump castigated Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over the weekend, calling him a “sick man.” (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)

“Ali Khamenei is continuing mass executions in parallel with the killing of young protesters,” Safavi said. “Three executions in the form of hanging are now happening every hour according to our data.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi previously disputed high death tolls reported in an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier, claiming fatalities were only in the hundreds and dismissing higher figures as “misinformation.”

President Donald Trump sharply condemned Khamenei over the weekend, calling him a “sick man” and urging new leadership in Iran.

In an interview with Politico, Trump accused Khamenei of overseeing “the complete destruction of the country” and using “violence at levels never seen before,” adding that Iran’s leadership should “stop killing people.”