ALBAWABA -In an interview with Fox News, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi blamed Israel and foreign "terrorist elements" for what is happening in the country.
'I saw hell. They're killing everyone': Iranian man escapes to Turkey, tells real situationAraghchi also denied news that the Iranian security forces are committing mass killings against anti-regime protesters and rejected claims that demonstrators are being deliberately shot in the chest and head.
He also claimed that the death toll figure reported by the opposition, which shows that over 12,000 people were killed on the nights of January 8 and 9, is incorrect, saying that only "few hundred" were dead.
Clear video shows Iranian forces directly shooting protesters
A video shared on social media reportedly shows Iranian security forces directly firing live ammunition at the protesters. The footage contained clips from various cities across Iran and confirmed that the security forces are deliberately shooting people, as protests in Iran continue for the third consecutive week.
A person posted the clip on X and wrote, "The killings were carried out not only with handguns or Kalashnikov rifles, but also with heavy machine guns such as DShK, and even by IRGC snipers using Ghanaseh rifles."
Protests in Iran started on Dec. 26, 2025, against the economic situation and the collapse of the currency, which were affected by the international sanctions against Tehran and the latest 12-day war with Israel.
Graphic content / This video grab taken on January 14, 2026, from UGC images posted on social media on January 13, 2026, shows a pathologist examining a body at the Tehran Province Forensic Diagnostic and Laboratory Centre in Kahrizak. Photo by - / UGC / AFP
The demonstrations then expanded to become anti-Islamic Regime with chants heard against the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and calls for the return of the Shah era.
In addition, Wall Street Journal Journalist Laurence Norman cited Amnesty said, "According to evidence gathered by Amnesty International, security forces positioned on the streets and rooftops, including of residential buildings, mosques and police stations, have repeatedly fired rifles and shotguns loaded with."
She added, "At least two videos show security forces chasing and directly firing at fleeing protesters who appear to pose no threat warranting the use of force, let alone firearms or other prohibited weapons."
