Verified videos emerging from Iran show bodies piled up in a hospital, snipers stationed on buildings, and CCTV cameras being destroyed, following the unprecedented crackdown on protests earlier this month.
BBC Verify has been tracking the spread of protests across Iran since they first erupted in late December, but the near-total internet blackout imposed by the authorities has made it extremely difficult to document the scale of the state's deadly crackdown on protesters.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) says it has confirmed the killing of nearly 6,000 people, including 5,633 protesters, since the unrest began at the end of December. It also reports investigating another 17,000 deaths amidst the internet shutdown after nearly three weeks.
Another group, the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR), has warned that the final toll could exceed 25,000.
Iranian authorities stated last week that more than 3,100 individuals were killed, claiming that the majority were security personnel or bystanders attacked by rioters.
The latest videos to emerge, reportedly filmed on 8 and 9 January, illustrate the deadliest nights for protesters thus far, showing how Iran's security forces violently suppressed the demonstrations.
Multiple clips analyzed by BBC Verify reveal bodies in a mortuary at Tehranpars hospital in east Tehran, confirming at least 31 bodies in one video alone. Another clip shows seven body bags outside the hospital's entrance.
Footage from protests on a highway in west Tehran captures the moment gunfire rang out, leading to screams from the crowd, highlighting the danger faced by demonstrators.
To evade Iran's heavy surveillance infrastructure, protesters have been seen disabling CCTV cameras; one verified video shows an individual climbing a post to strike a camera while others cheer.
The protests have surged across 71 towns and cities in Iran, although the actual number may be much higher due to the ongoing unrest.
In Kerman, a video recorded from a height depicts armed men firing weapons down a road, with protests audible in the background while a small fire can be seen.
Snipers have also been captured on rooftops in the north-eastern city of Mashhad, with footage showing armed men amidst the turmoil.
Despite a significant internet blackout since 8 January, some individuals have regained limited access to the internet through Starlink and VPNs. Further video evidence is expected to emerge as Iran's economic situation worsens during the blackout.
Additional reporting BBC Persian.
