Death toll in Iran may exceed 12,000

Amid more than two weeks of anti-government protests in Iran, fears are growing that the actual number of deaths in the security forces’ crackdown could be far higher than previously estimated.

On Tuesday (13 January), CBS News reported that internal sources claim between 12,000 and 20,000 people may have been killed in the suppression campaign. In recent days, internet and phone communications were almost completely cut off, making it difficult to obtain reliable information.

However, with partial phone services restored on Tuesday, internal sources have revealed this grim picture. Human rights organizations had earlier reported comparatively lower numbers, though they have consistently warned that the true toll could be much higher.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told Parliament on Tuesday that at least 2,000 people are believed to have died, though the number could be higher. Meanwhile, a video from a morgue on the outskirts of Tehran circulated on social media, verified by CBS News.

The 16-minute footage shows 366 to 400 bodies stacked inside, with forensic workers documenting gunshot wounds, shotgun injuries, and severe trauma. Blood-stained clothing and the cries of relatives suggest the true death toll is far higher than official figures.

So far, the Iranian government has not released any formal statistics on protest deaths. However, Reuters cited an anonymous Iranian official claiming the toll is around 2,000, blaming foreign-backed “terrorists” and mercenary agitators for the violence.

Meanwhile, Mahmoud Amiri-Moghaddam, head of Norway-based human rights group Iran Human Rights, said the information they are receiving has exceeded imagination. He alleged that security forces are pressuring medical staff in private hospitals to identify the injured.

U.S. President Donald Trump strongly condemned the situation, urging protesters to continue their movement in a social media post and assuring support. At the White House, the National Security Team held meetings on possible military and intelligence strategies. Pentagon sources say Trump was briefed on conventional airstrikes and other covert operations, warning that he will not engage with Iranian officials until the violence stops.

Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi told CBS News that Iranians now expect real action, not just verbal support. He believes swift international intervention could reduce casualties and hasten the current regime’s downfall. Human rights activists claim over 80% of Iranians want an end to the current government, leaving the crisis in the Middle East dependent on the international community’s responsibility to protect civilians.

Source: CBS News