A note to readers: the content that follows includes disturbing descriptions of violent incidents that may be troubling for some individuals.

An examination by BBC News Persian of numerous videos and photographs from recent demonstrations in Iran reveals that the country's security forces have utilized a variety of weapons, including machine guns, sniper rifles, and shotguns, during the unrest.

Fatalities have been reported in numerous cities, with protests documented in over 200 locations across Iran. Although the precise number of deaths is unknown, evidence from images, eyewitness accounts, and reports from human rights organizations and media outlets indicates that the death toll is likely in the thousands.

The Iranian government's response to the protests, which initially focused on economic concerns before expanding to other issues, has been marked by an extraordinary level of violence, surpassing that seen in recent Iranian history.

According to Payam Akhavan, a former UN prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague and an Iranian Canadian, the recent events in Iran constitute "the largest mass killing in contemporary Iranian history and one of the largest globally," as stated in an interview with BBC News Persian.

According to official statements, the Iranian government attributes the fatalities to the actions of "rioters and terrorists".

However, an examination by BBC News Persian reveals that security personnel employed a variety of weaponry against demonstrators, including:

Verified footage from various cities, such as Tehran, Isfahan, Yazdanshahr, and Shahsavar, obtained by BBC News Persian, depicts the use of both heavy-caliber weapons, like the DShK, and medium-caliber weapons, such as the PK, mounted on military vehicles.

It is reported that these weapons were utilized by security forces for the purpose of managing crowds and enforcing a state of siege.

On January 8, the Vahid Online Telegram channel posted two images of a black pickup truck equipped with a mounted machine gun, taken in Tehran's Sadeghiyeh Square.

An investigation by BBC News Persian has uncovered evidence of Iranian security forces deploying a specific type of weapon during recent protests. By comparing images from a 2025 military parade, published by Fars News Agency, with other visual records, it appears that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vehicles were equipped with a weapon identified by Janes defence-intelligence company expert Amael Kotlarski as the DShKM model, which is produced in Iran under licence.

Footage of the 9 January protests in Yazdanshahr, broadcast by Iran International, reveals protesters being targeted by prolonged machine-gun fire. At the 46-second mark in the video, the distinctive muzzle flash of the gun is clearly visible, indicating the intense firepower being directed at the demonstrators.

A spokesperson for Thames Valley Guns, a UK-based specialist in military firearms analysis, informed BBC News Persian that vehicles mounted with DShK machine guns are visible in protest videos, further corroborating the presence of these weapons.

A verified video clip shows an individual exhibiting spent casings, including two from a Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle and a larger shell, allegedly fired by security forces at protesters in Tehran's Behesht Square. The individual explains that these were used against demonstrators.

Experts at Thames Valley Guns have confirmed that the large projectile is a 20mm automatic cannon round, designed for use against armoured targets. The presence of rifling marks on its driving band indicates that the round had indeed been discharged, supporting the claim that such weaponry was used against protesters.

According to a representative, ammunition of this type is designed to penetrate and damage structures, vehicles, and hardened targets, such as lightly armored personnel carriers.

While not specifically designed for use against individuals, the impact of such ammunition on a person would have severe and devastating consequences.

Accounts from witnesses, as well as verified footage, indicate that sniper rifles were extensively used during the protests in January, as reported by BBC News Persian.

A video verified by BBC News Persian, taken on January 9 in Mashhad, shows two individuals wearing black tactical uniforms, similar to those worn by various security force branches, including the IRGC, positioned on a hotel rooftop. One of them is seen with a Dragunov sniper rifle, also known as an SVD, placed against a wall nearby.

A forensic expert, speaking to Iranian state television, acknowledged that snipers were responsible for the deaths of protesters. On January 8, a family member of Ebrahim Pourahmadian, a caretaker from Saqqez in Kurdistan Province who was working in Tehran, informed BBC News Persian that he had been fatally shot in the head by a sniper, with his child witnessing the incident.

Images of Pourahmadian's body, obtained by BBC News Persian, reveal a single gunshot wound to the forehead, consistent with a precise shot.

A representative from Thames Valley Guns discussed the significant psychological impact of a skilled sniper. The representative noted that untrained individuals are particularly affected, as they often lack the knowledge to respond to a remote and unseen threat, leading to heightened fear and potential mass panic.

The Kalashnikov assault rifle is the standard weapon issued to military and law enforcement personnel in Iran. An analysis by BBC News Persian of multiple videos shows both police and IRGC members using AK-47 Kalashnikovs and Iranian-made KL variants.

On 9 January, a video from Amol in northern Iran appears to show a security officer firing a Kalashnikov at protesters. Further analysis of spent casings collected from the streets, conducted by Kotlarski using images provided by BBC News Persian, identified the ammunition as 7.62x39mm rounds, which are compatible with Kalashnikov-type rifles.

An investigation by BBC News Persian has found evidence of widespread shotgun use.

Footage verified from the western Iranian cities of Lordegan on January 1 and Abadan on January 7 reveals police officers armed with shotguns patrolling the streets amidst protests. According to Kotlarski, the footage features various shotgun models, including the Iranian-produced Maher shotgun, which appears in both its standard and shortened configurations.

The recent deployment of shotguns during the January protests has had devastating consequences, echoing the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests. The widespread use of shotguns has led to a significant number of protester fatalities and left hundreds, potentially thousands, with lasting eye damage due to the injuries sustained.

A single eye hospital reported receiving approximately 1,000 patients requiring emergency surgery for ruptured eyeballs caused by metal pellets between January 9 and 10. This information was provided by the hospital's head, Dr. Ghasem Fakhraei, in an interview with the Iranian Students' News Agency.

BBC News Persian has acquired medical records and CT scans of several injured protesters from Mashhad, with one scan clearly indicating the presence of a metal pellet lodged in the eye tissue.

Videos from Kermanshah, dated January 8, show plainclothes security agents carrying at least two types of pistols. Analysts believe these pistols bear a resemblance to the Beretta Model 50 and the CZ 75, based on visual examination.

BBC News Persian has spoken to multiple protesters who claim to have been targeted with knives and machetes during the unrest. Additionally, photographs of the victims' bodies, obtained by the news organization, indicate the presence of both machete and gunshot wounds.

Surveillance footage from Tehran captures the moment when plainclothes agents, armed with machetes, assault protesters who were seeking shelter in a residential building.

A video recorded in the capital on January 8 appears to show a plainclothes officer striking a female protester on the head with a machete. The footage also reveals several other security personnel, dressed in military attire, in the vicinity.