Iranian Protester Died After Security Forces Opened Fire Earlier This Month; Two More Killed

Last Updated:January 17, 2026, 21:18 IST

Reza Eskandarpour, a resident of Tehran, was hit with six rounds of live fire by a sniper and killed at the protest site on January 8 amid a bloody crackdown by Iranian forces.

A visual from the protests in Iran. (File image: AFP)

Iran was witness to a brutal crackdown by security forces to quell a wave of protests against the Islamic regime, resulting in the deaths of more than 3,000 people. A 37-year-old man, identified as Reza Eskandarpour, was one of the victims who was shot dead by security forces in Tehran, according to a local report.

Eskandarpour, born in October 1988 and a resident of Ariashahr in Tehran, was shot dead by security forces, according to reports received by Iran . He was protesting with five friends when one of them was shot by security agents, sources told the Iranian outlet.

He had returned to the site to help his wounded friend, at which point a sniper linked to security forces opened fire from a rooftop. Eskandarpour was hit by six live rounds and killed at the scene. Two other people accompanying him were also killed at the same time.

As per people close to him, Eskandarpour owned a cabinet-making workshop in Ariashahr and was preparing to get married. The incident marked one of thousands of deaths under the security crackdown in Iran. Iran reported that nearly every family has lost someone or has at least one detained or injured relative in some areas.

Thousands Dead In Iran

Arshia Ahmadpour, an 18-year-old boxer from Baharestan in Isfahan, was killed by security forces during protests in the city on January 9. He worked as a hairdresser in Isfahan and was an athlete who practised boxing.

In a speech broadcast by state television, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said the protests had left “several thousand" people dead — the first indication from an Iranian leader of the extent of the casualties. He blamed US President Donald Trump for the casualties, saying his involvement escalated matters and indicated US efforts to achieve domination over Iran’s resources.

“We do consider the US president a criminal, because of casualties and damages, because of accusations against the Iranian nation," he said. He described the protesters as “foot soldiers" of the United States and said they had destroyed mosques and educational centres.

The crackdown has left at least 3,095 people dead, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, exceeding that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalling the chaos surrounding the 1979 revolution.

According to Iran , at least 12,000 people have been killed in Iran in the largest killing in the country’s contemporary history, much of it carried out on January 8 and 9 during an ongoing internet shutdown. The killing was carried out on Khamenei’s direct order, and with an order for live fire issued by the Supreme Security Council, it reported.

News world Iranian Protester Died After Security Forces Opened Fire Earlier This Month; Two More Killed

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