Iran's Brutal Crackdown: A Detailed Account of Weapons Used Against Protesters

Warning: The following story contains graphic details of violence which some readers might find upsetting.A BBC News Persian analysis of hundreds of videos and photographs taken during recent protests in Iran confirms the security forces' use of a wide range of weaponry, including machine guns, sniper rifles, and shotguns.Protesters were reportedly killed in many of the more than 200 cities where protests had been recorded. While the exact death toll remains unclear, the level of brutality and the deployment of lethal weaponry evidenced in pictures, witness accounts, and reports by human rights groups and the media show thousands have been killed across the country.The crackdown on protests—which began over economic issues but escalated rapidly—employed a level of violence unprecedented in modern Iranian history.This is the largest mass killing in contemporary Iranian history and one of the largest in the world, said Payam Akhavan, an Iranian Canadian former UN prosecutor, in an interview with BBC News Persian.The Iranian government has blamed the killings on rioters and terrorists. However, BBC News Persian analysis shows security forces utilized a variety of weapons on protesters, including:

• Machine guns
• Sniper rifles
• Assault rifles
• Shotguns
• Handguns
• Pellet-firing paintball guns
• Tear gas
• Machetes
• Knives
• Batons
• Large wooden clubs
• Green laser sights and pointers (for blinding and targeting)

Footage from major cities, verified by BBC News Persian, shows the security forces deploying heavy weaponry such as the DShK and PK machine guns to control crowds and impose a state of siege. Documented incidents demonstrate that machine-gun fire was directed at protesters during the protests that erupted in cities like Yazdanshahr.Beyond firearms, on-ground reports indicate the deployment of sniper rifles, which have been used to target demonstrators directly. A report confirmed that snipers killed protesters, including Ebrahim Pourahmadian, who was shot in front of his child.Photographs and medical evidence collected indicate not only those killed by firearms but those injured with blunt and pointed weapons like machetes, resulting in severe injuries. Eyewitness testimonies account for persistent attacks by plainclothes security agents using knives. Videos depicting violence show individuals wielding machetes attacking protesters, showcasing the extensive brutality faced by civilians in Iran amidst calls for reform.