The streets of Tehran have turned into killing fields. A doctor in the Iranian capital, speaking on condition of anonymity, has told international media that at least 217 protesters have been killed in the last 48 hours alone, contradicting the official toll of 51 released by human rights groups.

"Most of the dead are young people, shot in the head or chest with live ammunition," the doctor revealed. He described scenes of horror at a northern Tehran hospital where security forces removed corpses under the cover of darkness to hide the scale of the massacre.

The "Vandals" Narrative

The escalation follows a chilling speech by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who branded the protesters "vandals" and "saboteurs" working for the United States. By framing the unrest as a foreign invasion rather than a domestic uprising, the regime has given the green light for the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) to use battlefield weapons in urban centers.

• Machine Gun Fire: Activists report that security forces sprayed machine-gun fire into a crowd of demonstrators outside a police station in northern Tehran, killing at least 30 people on the spot. Videos verified by Iran International show protesters chanting "Death to the Dictator" before being cut down by gunfire.
• Internet Blackout: To cover its tracks, the regime has imposed a near-total internet blackout. "We are screaming in the dark," said a student activist via a satellite connection. "They are killing us, and the world cannot see."
• The Trump Factor: President Donald Trump’s warning that Iran would "pay hell" if it killed protesters appears to have had the opposite effect, emboldening hardliners who view the uprising as a US-orchestrated coup.

A Revolution or a Massacre?

The protests, sparked by currency collapse, have morphed into a nationwide demand for regime change. Unlike 2009 or 2019, the fear barrier seems to have broken. "They can kill us, but they cannot kill the idea," the doctor said.

As the morgues fill up, Iran stands at a precipice. The regime has chosen the path of total repression, gambling that it can drown the revolution in blood before the international community—or the US military—intervenes.