Over 4000 Deaths in Iran – Militias Take To The Streets In Brutal Retaliation

Gunfire raked Tehran’s night sky as convoys of pickup trucks mounted with heavy machine guns sped through the capital, turning residential streets into a battlefield in a single, terrifying night of live fire and shouted commands. Videos show large‑caliber weapons rattling in the darkness as masked fighters sweep past apartment blocks and government buildings now under guard.​

Streets Under Heavy Fire

Witness footage verified by international broadcasters shows heavily armed men riding in armored pickups and Toyotas, spraying bursts of automatic fire into side streets as they advance through Tehran after dark. Commands in Farsi ring out over the gunfire, while headlights and muzzle flashes illuminate otherwise deserted avenues, leaving residents sheltering at home in fear.​

Convoys Turn Capital Into Fortress

Analysts say the convoys are not isolated patrols but part of a coordinated deployment across key districts of the city. Dozens of trucks, many fitted with Russian‑made heavy machine guns, have been documented guarding government ministries, state media compounds and major intersections, effectively transforming central Tehran into a fortified security zone.

Protest Crackdown Reaches New Level

The show of force comes as Iran faces its most serious wave of unrest in years, sparked by a collapsing currency, rising prices and deep frustration with clerical rule. Rights monitors report that hundreds of protesters have been killed in less than a month, with thousands more detained, as authorities resort to live ammunition, mass arrests and rolling internet blackouts.

Death Toll Mounts Nationwide

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) says at least 2,571 people have been killed since protests erupted, including more than 2,400 demonstrators and over 140 security personnel, with about 10,000 detainees logged in just two weeks. Reuters notes that HRANA calls these figures “minimum confirmed” and warns the true toll could be higher because of communication shutdowns and fear of reprisals.

Foreign Fighters Allegedly in the Ranks

Opposition figures and independent analysts say not all of the gunmen on Tehran’s streets are Iranian. A senior official with the exiled National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Ali Safavi, told Fox News that “there has been a deployment of dozens of Toyotas mounted with heavy machine guns… reportedly being used by elements linked to Lebanese Hezbollah and Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces.”

Claims of Thousands of Imported Militiamen

Safavi further alleges that “the regime has brought in at least 5,000 foreign elements from Iraq and Hezbollah to control Tehran,” saying these fighters operate under Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) command and guard strategic sites. The Institute for the Study of War separately cites assessments that fighters from groups such as Kataib Hezbollah and the Badr Organization have crossed into Iran under the guise of religious travel.​

Regime Leans on Proxy Network

Security experts say Tehran’s reliance on allied militias mirrors tactics used in Syria and Iraq, where foreign fighters helped prop up embattled governments. A recent analysis by a Washington-based think tank argues that importing such units gives Iran a force “less embedded in local communities and more willing to carry out lethal orders” against protesters.

Residents Describe a City Under Siege

Residents contacted by rights groups describe nights dominated by the staccato sound of machine‑gun bursts, helicopters overhead and security vehicles blocking key roads. Many say they avoid windows and balconies after dark, fearing stray rounds, while videos show burning cars and smoke rising from intersections where protesters clashed with security forces earlier in the day.

Fierce Night Clashes Reported

Safavi says that “at night, there are fierce clashes that are ongoing as well as running street battles between the protesters and the special unit forces,” suggesting that the convoys serve both as intimidation and rapid‑response units. Sky News and other outlets have aired clips of gunfire echoing through dense neighborhoods as convoys race to reported flashpoints.​

Government Blames ‘Terrorists’ and Foreign Enemies

Iranian authorities reject accusations of indiscriminate violence and foreign proxy deployment, instead blaming “terrorist operatives” and hostile states for the bloodshed. Officials say security forces are confronting armed saboteurs backed by the United States and Israel, and one senior figure recently cited a lower nationwide death toll of around 2,000, including security personnel.

Rights Groups Challenge Official Narrative

Rights advocates dispute that account and say most victims were unarmed protesters demanding political change and economic relief. HRANA reports that the majority of those killed are young adults, with children also among the dead, and stresses that it only includes cases it can verify through multiple sources.

International Alarm Over Casualties

The rising death toll has drawn sharp criticism from Western governments and international organizations. U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iranians “to persist with their demonstrations” and warned that continued killings could trigger a strong response, telling reporters that “help is on its way,” according to Reuters.

UN Voices Concern Over Crackdown

Diplomats say the United Nations is closely tracking the situation, with several member states pushing for an emergency debate on Iran’s use of force. Human rights experts affiliated with the UN have previously condemned Iran for deploying live ammunition against protesters and warned that patterns seen in earlier crackdowns appear to be repeating on a larger scale.

Protests Fueled by Deep Economic Pain

The unrest began after the Iranian currency plunged to new lows, driving up the cost of food, fuel and basic goods. Many demonstrators accuse the leadership of spending heavily on nuclear activities and regional proxy groups while domestic living standards fall, a grievance that has surfaced repeatedly in street chants and online campaigns.

Internet Blackouts Hide Full Picture

Authorities have repeatedly restricted mobile networks and cut internet access in protest hotspots, making independent verification of events difficult. Rights groups say the blackouts limit the ability of families to document deaths and disappearances and delay the release of casualty data, masking the full scale of the crackdown.

Analysts See Escalation, Not Containment

Regional analysts note that the deployment of foreign‑linked militias and heavy weapons inside the capital suggests the leadership is preparing for a prolonged confrontation, not a short‑term disturbance. International Crisis Group has previously warned that Iran’s overlapping domestic and regional crises could converge, raising the risk of wider instability.

Tehran Caught Between Fear and Defiance

Despite the violence, reports from the ground indicate that demonstrations continue in parts of Tehran and other cities, often shifting locations to avoid security cordons. Protesters have been seen erecting makeshift barricades, chanting against Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and filming security deployments when networks briefly reconnect.

Future of the Uprising Unclear

With casualties mounting, foreign fighters allegedly in the streets and the economy under severe strain, Iran faces an uncertain and volatile period. Whether the show of force will crush the protests or deepen public anger remains unknown, but nightly convoys of heavy machine guns rolling through Tehran suggest the struggle is far from over.