Iran Protests: Over 12,000 Deaths Reported – Morgue Footage Emerges
Information trickling out of Iran on Tuesday suggests that a crackdown by authorities to end more than two weeks of widespread anti-government protests has likely been far more deadly than activists outside the country have reported. With phone lines opening back up for calls from inside the Islamic Republic, two sources, including one inside Iran, told CBS News on Tuesday that at least 12,000, and possibly as many as 20,000 people have been killed.
Britain’s Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said in Parliament on Tuesday that the U.K. government believed there ”may have been 2,000 people killed, there have been more. My fear is that the number may prove to be significantly higher.”
The truth has been incredibly difficult to piece together due to Iran’s hardline rulers cutting off internet access and phone service in the country for the last five days. While a complete internet shutdown in Iran remained in place for a fifth day, some Iranians were able to make phone calls out of the country on Tuesday, though it was still not possible to call into Iran from outside.
A source inside Iran who was able to call out told CBS News on Tuesday that activist groups working to compile a full death toll from the protests, based on reports from medical officials across the country, believed the toll was at least 12,000, and possibly as high as 20,000.
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The same source said security forces were visiting the many private hospitals across Tehran, threatening staff to hand over the names and addresses of those being treated for injuries sustained in the protests.
CBS News has not been able to independently verify the massive death toll indicated by the source, which is some many times larger than the numbers reported by most activist groups independently in recent days – though those groups have always made it clear that their tallies are likely underestimated.
The opposition Iran International television network said Tuesday that its information suggested about 12,000 people were killed. A source in Washington with contacts in Iran told CBS News on Tuesday that a credible source had told him the toll was likely between 10,000 and 12,000.
Iranian officials have not provided regular official estimates of overall deaths from the unrest. Reuters quoted an unnamed Iranian official Tuesday as saying about 2,000 people had been killed since the protests began on Dec. 28, and blaming the violence on foreign influenced “terrorists,” even suggesting that agitators had been paid to fomen
KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price. I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS.HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” Mr. Trump said in a social media post on Tuesday.
Again he offered no details about what help the U.S. might provide to Iran’s long-stifled domestic opposition.
The president’s national security team was scheduled to hold a meeting at the White House on Tuesday to discuss his options, according to several sources familiar with the matter. It was unclear whether the president himself would attend. He has been briefed on a wide array of military and covert tools that could be used against Iran, well beyond conventional airstrikes, according to two Pentagon officials who spoke to CBS News on the condition of anonymity to discuss national security matters.
A crackdown “much worse than we can even imagine”
“The information that we are receiving shows that the violent crackdown [against] the protests has probably been much worse than we can even imagine,” said Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, who leads the Norway-based activist organization Iran Human Rights.
“The whole international community’s red lines have been crossed,” said Amiry-Moghaddam. “We have a mechanism called responsibility to protect civilians against grave human rights violations, against mass killings … so not only [the] United States, not only President Trump, but the European Union, basically all countries have a responsibility to stop these atrocities.”
He didn’t call for U.S. military action, but urged world powers to “provide Iranians with more means to communicate with the world, as this is what the regimes do - they shut off the internet. Basically, it’s like solitary confinement. They put Iranian people into solitary confinement and start torturing and killing them.”
he told CBS News his organization had received a video Monday night showing the aftermath of one purported attack by security forces that left 75 people dead in Mazandaran province, about a three-hour drive north of Tehran. Amiry-Moghaddam said he could not share the video or specific town where the alleged assault occurred as the information “can be tracked,” and would thus endanger his sources.
“This is what indicates that the extent has been much worse than we anticipated,” said Amiry-Moghaddan.
Internet access and text messaging services were still blocked in Iran on Tuesday, leaving largely in place the blackout initiated on the evening of Jan. 8, when thousands of people appeared to heed a call by Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi to make their voices heard.
The protests – and the security forces’ action against them – appeared to escalate sharply for a couple of days from that evening.
On Tuesday, Iran’s police chief claime
Okay, I will perform an adversarial research check on the provided text, adhering strictly to the instructions.
Source Text Summary:
The text reports on comments made by Reza Pahlavi, son of the former Shah of Iran, regarding the situation in Iran and potential dialog with the Trump administration. It also includes a quote from Trita Pahlavi, and a statement from Amiry-Moghaddan claiming a large majority of Iranians oppose the current regime, divided into groups favoring a return to monarchy (specifically the Shah’s son), those opposing monarchy, and the undecided. It also links to a CBS News feature on the standoff with Iran and promotes “The Free Press.”
PHASE 1: ADVERSARIAL RESEARCH & FRESHNESS CHECK (as of 2026/01/14 02:27:01)
1. Factual Claim Verification & Contradiction Search:
* Reza Pahlavi’s claim of a solution “that puts an end to all the problems that we are facing”: This is a subjective statement and not a verifiable fact. It represents Pahlavi’s opinion.
* Communication with the Trump administration: Multiple sources confirm that Reza Pahlavi has engaged in outreach to US officials, including during the Trump administration. Though, details of those conversations remain largely undisclosed. (Sources: the New York Times, Reuters, Associated Press – see links below).
* Amiry-Moghaddan’s claim of 80% opposition to the regime: This is a frequently cited figure, but its accuracy is highly debated. Polling data within Iran is notoriously difficult to obtain and verify due to government control and restrictions. While widespread discontent is acknowledged,the 80% figure is often presented by opposition groups and may be an overestimation. Autonomous analysis suggests significant opposition, but quantifying it precisely is challenging. (Sources: Council on Foreign Relations, Brookings Institution, The Guardian – see links below).
* Division of opposition into three groups: This breakdown aligns with analyses of Iranian opposition sentiment. there is a recognized faction supporting a return to monarchy, a republican/democratic faction, and a significant portion of the population that is disillusioned but hasn’t clearly aligned with a specific option. (Sources: Middle East Institute, Atlantic Council – see links below).
2. Breaking News Check (as of 2026/01/14 02:27:01):
The situation in Iran remains highly volatile. As of today’s date:
* Political Situation: Iran continues to face significant economic challenges, social unrest, and political repression.The government maintains a firm grip on power, but protests and dissent persist.
* nuclear Program: Negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program remain stalled. International concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions continue.
* US-Iran Relations: US-Iran relations remain strained, with ongoing tensions in the region.
* Reza Pahlavi: Reza Pahlavi continues to be a prominent voice of the Iranian opposition, advocating for democratic change. He has been actively engaging with international media and policymakers.
* Recent Developments (Late 2025 – Early 2026): Increased cyberattacks targeting Iranian infrastructure have been reported. There have been reports of escalating protests in several Iranian cities, met with a harsh crackdown by security forces.
3. Newer Information & Updates:
* Increased Internal Security Measures: The Iranian government has significantly increased internal security measures in response to ongoing protests.
* Economic Deterioration: Iran’s economy continues to struggle under international sanctions and internal mismanagement.
* Regional Tensions: Tensions in the Middle East remain high, with ongoing conflicts in yemen and syria, and concerns about Iranian support for proxy groups.
Authoritative Sources Used:
* The New York Times: [https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/16/world/middleeast/reza-pahlavi-iran-protests.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/16/world/