15 January 2026 :
January 14, 2026 - IRAN. Hrana Report - 18th day of protests: 2,615 dead, 18,470 arrested
The eighteenth day of Iran’s nationwide protests passed amid a continued shutdown of communications with the outside world. HRANA’s aggregated figures indicate the registration of 617 protest gatherings in 187 cities across the country, the arrest of at least 18,470 people, and the confirmed deaths of 2,615 individuals, a situation that, alongside the decline in verifiable on-the-ground evidence, has intensified international concerns over the scale of the crackdown.
The eighteenth day of the nationwide protests unfolded while Iran’s disconnection from the global internet persisted, and access to verifiable field evidence remained limited compared to the peak days of the demonstrations. In this context, developments on this day focused primarily on the continued communications blackout, rising casualty and arrest figures in aggregated data, and the escalation of international reactions and positions regarding the situation in Iran.
With the ongoing internet shutdown, the ability to receive and verify field reports from inside the country continued to face serious disruption. On the eighteenth day, no verifiable reports of newly registered street protests were available, a situation that may reflect either a decline in visible street demonstrations or the direct result of severe communications restrictions and the difficulty of independent documentation.
At the same time, media outlets and monitoring organizations remained focused on the human and security consequences of the protests. Aggregated data show that although the flow of field information has slowed, the upward trend in the number of casualties, injured individuals, and arrests has continued, an issue that, particularly amid the communications blackout, has heightened concerns about the true extent of violence and repression remaining concealed.
At the international level, reactions became more pronounced on the eighteenth day. The President of the United States stated that he had been “informed” that killings and executions in Iran had stopped, remarks that, given the continued security atmosphere and reports of rising casualties, were met with skepticism and critical responses. At the same time, several European governments, citing security assessments, reduced their diplomatic presence in Tehran or advised their citizens to leave Iran.
Within this framework, the President of the European Parliament also issued a message addressed to the people of Iran, urging them not to lose hope and emphasizing the support of European institutions for human rights and civil demands. Meanwhile, critical positions by governments and international bodies regarding the suppression of protesters, internet shutdowns, and mass arrests continued, alongside warnings about the human rights consequences of the situation.
HRANA’s Aggregated Statistics up to the End of Day Eighteen
According to HRANA’s aggregated data up to the end of the eighteenth day of the protests, a total of 617 protest gatherings have been recorded nationwide. These demonstrations took place in 187 cities and covered all 31 provinces of the country.
In terms of arrests, the detention of 18,470 individuals has been confirmed. In addition, the number of broadcast forced confessions has reached 105 cases, and 2,054 injured individuals with severe injuries have been reported.
Regarding human casualties, the total number of confirmed deaths has been announced as 2,615. Of these, 2,435 were protesters, and the deaths of 13 minors under the age of 18 have been confirmed. Additionally, 14 non-protesting civilians are recorded among the fatalities. On the other side, 153 members of security forces and government supporters have lost their lives. Furthermore, 882 additional deaths remain under investigation.
Brief Background
The nationwide protests began on December 28, 2025, and, after reaching their widest geographical spread in the middle days, entered a new phase following the government’s imposition of communications shutdowns, one in which the collection and independent verification of field data has become structurally more difficult. The eighteenth day followed this same pattern and was defined less by clear, verifiable signs of street protests and more by a communications blackout, a sharp increase in aggregated figures for casualties and arrests, and an intensification of international pressure and reactions.
