In the wake of an unprecedented crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran in January 2026, human rights organizations report that thousands of people have been killed or injured by security forces. The use of live ammunition against protesters, coupled with a near-total internet shutdown beginning on Thursday evening, January 9, points to a major humanitarian catastrophe whose full scale remains unknown.
The repression has left large numbers of people wounded. According to eyewitness accounts and information obtained by IranWire, many injured protesters avoided hospitals out of fear of arrest or reprisals by security forces. In some cases, even critically wounded individuals were taken to private homes for treatment. In several cities, security forces reportedly detained injured protesters, and there have also been reports of pressure and arrests targeting medical staff.
IranWire spoke with Professor Amir-Mobarez Parasta, an Iranian-German ophthalmic surgeon and head of the Munich Eye Center, who has been in ongoing contact with medical professionals inside and outside Iran. He described the severe strain facing hospitals and healthcare workers amid the crackdown.
According to Professor Parasta, at least 600 protesters have had their eyes surgically removed as a result of injuries sustained during the suppression of the protests. He said the scale of the injuries, combined with extreme shortages of time, equipment, and safe medical access under crisis conditions, has played a significant role in these outcomes.
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