Iranian Youth Confront Brutal Crackdown with Stark Ultimatum
Young Iranians participating in the ongoing wave of anti-regime protests have revealed to TOI that the situation has escalated dramatically. They now face what feels like a binary choice: either achieve victory or face death. This stark reality emerges from one of the most aggressive government crackdowns witnessed in recent years.
Voices from Behind the Digital Curtain
Speaking through a conference call organized by an Iranian based in India, three protesters shared their harrowing experiences. One participant joined from inside Iran using Starlink satellite technology. They described a nation effectively sealed off by widespread internet blackouts, yet pierced by the quiet but urgent pulse of resistance.
Their voices, often fragmented by static and brief windows of satellite connectivity, came from individuals scattered across different geographies but united in protest. A young man in Tehran spoke with steady determination. He stated that the regime's response has grown increasingly ruthless with each passing day. Many protesters have lost faith in the possibility of outside intervention.
"It is only us who have to help ourselves in this protest," he declared. "If we do not win this time, then we have to end our lives. It is better than facing torture to death at the hands of the regime forces."
Hospitals Transformed into Sites of Coercion
Another speaker, an Iranian woman currently living in a Western country, provided chilling details about ongoing killings. She received a video from a friend in Tehran showing several bodies placed inside zipped black bags within a hospital. She further claimed that these same hospitals have been turned into locations of quiet coercion by regime forces.
"The forces present in the hospitals are handing over the bodies to families and asking them to leave the hospital as quickly as possible," she explained. "They are then forcing them to complete the last rites at Muslim cemeteries within 15–30 minutes. Families are not allowed to even mourn the loss of their loved ones properly."
Fleeting Connections and Desperate Pleas
Bahaar Ghorbani, an Iranian national living in Finland who previously resided in India, communicated with TOI via a messaging platform. She confirmed that internet shutdowns remain firmly in place across Iran. However, people are finding ingenious ways to connect briefly using alternate methods, including Starlink terminals.
They use these fleeting moments of connectivity to issue desperate pleas for international help. "Those who are able to connect from Iran are posting SOS messages over X, formerly known as Twitter," Ghorbani reported. "They are desperately calling for help from outside to aid the protesters and stop the killings."
She shared one such message posted by an X user named Samin Cheraghi, who identified herself as a lawyer in Iran. The post, originally written in Farsi and timestamped around 3 PM IST on a recent Saturday, was translated. It read: "Until we get cut off again, come to our aid... The situation is more horrifying and catastrophic than it appears. Help us, help us."
A Personal Appeal and Verified Toll
Ghorbani stated she knows Cheraghi personally and has seen numerous similar appeals for assistance. She also made a sobering claim about the human cost. "I have personally verified the deaths of at least 500 people, including teenagers," she added. "I received their photos and names from my connections in Iran."
Drawing on her personal connection to India, she issued a direct appeal. "As a person who also lived in India for years, I again urge the Indian government to intervene and stop the killings while playing the role of a mediator for peace. We Iranians deserve better."
