Iran’s Brutal Crackdown: Blaming “Terrorists” as Death Toll Mounts
Amid an internet blackout and escalating international tensions, Iranian authorities are doubling down on a familiar tactic: blaming external forces for widespread unrest and a mounting death toll. The latest wave of repression, following protests that began in late December, is characterized by a narrative of “terrorism” guided by foreign hands, a claim rights groups and analysts say is a deliberate distortion of reality.
The strategy is exemplified by accounts like that of Fatemeh Faramarzi, an Iranian state television journalist who described being attacked with shotgun pellets during the protests. Speaking on the IRIB channel’s prime-time “Eyewitness” program, she attributed the violence to “terrorists,” reinforcing the official line that security forces were not responsible for the bloodshed, but rather acted to quell it. This program, launched in the wake of a crackdown reportedly leaving thousands dead, is a key component of the regime’s effort to control the narrative.
The protests themselves, initially sparked by economic grievances, quickly evolved into a powerful expression of anti-regime anger, drawing hundreds of thousands of Iranians into the streets across the country. In response, Iranian leaders deployed what observers describe as unprecedented brutality to suppress the demonstrations.
However, the regime’s response has been met with widespread condemnation and accusations of a cover-up. “There is a long-standing pattern of airing false statements and forced, torture-tainted confessions to blame killings and injuries on non-state actors,” explains Raha Bahreini, a human rights lawyer and Iran researcher for Amnesty International. “This is completely contradictory to a mountain of evidence – including eyewitness accounts and dozens of verified videos – that show security forces were the only forces bearing firearms, shooting into crowds, and relentlessly firing at unarmed protesters and bystanders.”
The “Eyewitness” program is just one facet of a broader effort to construct an alternative reality, portraying legitimate protests as having been hijacked by armed agents of the United States and Israel, allegedly intent on destabilizing the Islamic Republic. State TV broadcasts of the program are now a daily occurrence, coinciding with the continued suppression of independent news sources through the internet blackout.
Yet, a more accurate picture is emerging from within Iran, pieced together from videos and testimonies from victims and their families. This evidence points to a ruling elite employing extreme force to suppress what many believe to be the most significant threat to the Islamic Republic in its 47-year history.
The scale of the crackdown is alarming. Iranian officials claim over 3,000 people have died, attributing the deaths to “terrorists.” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, directly blamed U.S. President Donald Trump – whose social media posts had encouraged Iranian protesters – for the “thousands” killed by “enemy agents.” However, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reports a significantly higher figure, confirming 5,002 deaths with another 9,787 “still under investigation.” Officials acknowledge that over 100 security force members have also perished.
The tactics employed by security forces are particularly disturbing. Reports indicate that victims are being “dumped” at morgues “in the most undignified way,” and families are being pressured to conduct burials in secret. These actions, coupled with the internet shutdown, are seen as clear attempts to conceal the extent of the state’s violence. Amnesty International has described a “suffocating militarization” now prevailing in Iran, characterized by armed patrols, curfews, and a ban on gatherings.
Adding fuel to the fire, Iranian security organs have seized upon public statements made by U.S. and Israeli officials acknowledging the presence of Mossad intelligence operations within Iran. For example, Mossad posted on its Persian-language X account shortly after the protests began, stating, “Let’s come out to the streets together. The time has come. We are with you. Not just from afar and verbally. We are with you in the field as well.” Iranian officials now frame the protests as the “13th day” of war, linking them to the 12-day bombing campaign last June by Israel – which assassinated top Iranian military commanders and targeted its missile capacity – and the subsequent exchanges of missile fire between Israel, Iran, and its allies stemming from the conflict in Gaza.
The intelligence arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Friday that it had dismantled an “enemy command room composed of 10 hostile intelligence services,” claiming victory over the “American-Zionist sedition.” Seized documents allegedly detailed a plan based on “three pillars” – internal unrest, military intervention, and activation of groups – aimed at creating an “existential threat.” State TV has broadcast coerced confessions from individuals claiming to have been recruited by Mossad, offered substantial sums of money, and trained in explosives.
Iran’s hard-line chief justice, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei, stated that those accused of killing, arson, causing “moral damage,” or aiding the enemy would face national security charges.
Despite Trump’s eventual backing away from promises of “rescue” and “hard hits,” U.S. military forces are increasing their presence in the region, with the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group en route from Asian waters. “We have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case,” Trump said, adding that the situation is being closely monitored.
The key question now is whether the regime’s leadership can maintain unity, prevent defections within the security services, and continue relying on extreme violence. A de facto collective leadership has emerged to manage day-to-day affairs, operating in the absence of effective leadership from the 86-year-old ayatollah. This group, comprised of the president, speaker of Parliament, judiciary chief, and representatives of the IRGC and the army, has already altered the regime’s approach to violence.
Analysts suggest the regime might seek an accommodation with the U.S. to secure sanctions relief, improve the economy, and ensure its long-term survival. However, claims of Mossad involvement and U.S. support do not necessarily indicate that Israel or the U.S. instigated the protests. Rather, they likely exploited existing opposition to the Islamic Republic for their own purposes.
As Ahmad Zeidabadi, a journalist at the reformist newspaper Ham-Mihan, noted, “If there is truth in all the claims about Mossad infiltration…then what have you been doing this whole time, while you claimed absolute dominance and intelligence superiority?” His newspaper was shut down after publishing stories about security force raids on hospitals and the severity of the crackdown, highlighting the regime’s intolerance of independent reporting.
The current crisis underscores the deep-seated frustrations within Iranian society, fueled by state failures and leading to “severe polarization, mutual dehumanization, and the lack of a platform for dialogue.” The regime’s response, characterized by denial, distortion, and brutal repression, suggests a desperate attempt to cling to power in the face of a growing challenge to its legitimacy.
