Eyewitness Account Reveals Brutal Crackdown on Iranian Protests
Warning: This story contains details which some readers might find distressing.
An Iranian woman who witnessed the brutal crackdown on protests in Iran has described how her neighborhood turned into a war zone as security forces opened fire at crowds with live ammunition.
A government-imposed internet blackout in Iran, now in its third week, has blocked many accounts of these events from reaching the wider world. Yet, some Iranians who have left the country are managing to share their experiences.
Parnia, who lives in London, relayed her story to the BBC, recounting her visit to family in Isfahan when protests erupted following a currency collapse. The protests rapidly spread and quickly reached Parnia's area, attracting hundreds of participants chanting slogans against the government.
As tensions escalated, she witnessed the horrors first-hand. There were women and men from seven to 70 years old, she observed. On just one street, there were 200 to 300 people. People were chanting 'Death to the dictator' and 'Long live the shah.' The crowds targeted Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, expressing their frustration over the political climate.
Parnia's description of the events intensified as security forces began using live ammunition on protesters. First, they fired tear gas, then they began shooting birdshot,” she recounted. I saw people getting shot and falling down, and I saw blood on the street.
Desperate to escape, Parnia described running through alleyways, finding refuge in an apartment block where she encountered injured protesters. The grim reality emerged as she witnessed the sheer chaos resulting from the authorities' response to peaceful assembly.
On the night of unrest, videos validated by the BBC depicted the panic across Isfahan, with makeshift barricades set up by protesters in hopes of protecting themselves against gunfire.
Parnia relayed the unfortunate events on a particular Friday when the atmosphere shifted from hopeful to fearful following a speech from Khamenei. She described how security forces warned against gatherings while fear gripped protesters as gunfire echoed across the streets.
Having witnessed a rise in chaos and injuries at local clinics where many wounded protesters were turned away for fear of arrest, Parnia left Isfahan for Tehran to return to London, recalling, All the shops were closed, and many people had gathered in the streets, when she arrived.
Since returning to the UK, Parnia has remained in contact with friends in Isfahan, learning about the ongoing suppression of dissent and alarming reports of increasing casualties following the unrest. She now aims to participate in opposition protests in the UK, voicing the urgent need for international recognition of the Iranian people's plight.
Parnia vehemently challenges notions of disunity within the Iranian opposition, proclaiming that recent protests have illustrated a significant demand for change. Iranians have shown what they want in the streets and paid a high price for it, she stated.
