Iranian Protesters Confront 'Victory or Death' Dilemma as Crackdown Intensifies
Young Iranians caught in one of the most aggressive government crackdowns in recent years have revealed a grim reality. They now face what feels like a binary choice: achieve victory or face death. This stark assessment comes directly from protesters involved in the ongoing anti-regime demonstrations.
Voices from Behind the Blackout
Speaking through a conference call organized by an Iranian living in India, three protesters shared their harrowing experiences. One participant managed to join from inside Iran using Starlink satellite internet. They described a nation completely sealed off by widespread internet blackouts, a population gripped by pervasive fear, yet pierced by the quiet but determined urgency of continued resistance.
Their voices, often broken by static and reliant on brief seconds of satellite connectivity, came from individuals scattered across different locations but united in their protest. A young man speaking from Tehran delivered his words with steady resolve. He explained that the regime's response has grown increasingly ruthless with each passing day.
"Many of us no longer believe that any outside intervention will come to save us," he stated clearly. "It is only us who have to help ourselves in this protest. 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 Turned into Sites of Coercion
Another speaker, an Iranian woman currently residing in a Western country, provided chilling details about ongoing killings. She reported receiving a video from a friend in Tehran. The footage showed several bodies placed inside zipped black bags within a hospital setting.
She made a serious claim about these medical facilities. The same hospitals, she asserted, have been transformed into locations of quiet coercion. "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 described. "They are then forcing them to complete the last rites at Muslim cemeteries within just 15 to 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 severe internet shutdowns remain firmly in place across Iran. However, she noted a resilient adaptation.
People are still finding ways to connect briefly through alternative methods, including the use of Starlink terminals. They utilize these fleeting moments of connectivity to issue urgent pleas for international help. "Those who are able to connect from Iran are posting SOS messages over X, formerly known as Twitter," Ghorbani explained. "They are desperately calling for help from outside to aid the protesters and stop the killings."
She shared one specific example posted by an X user named Samin Cheraghi, who identifies as a lawyer in Iran. The post, originally written in Farsi and timestamped around 3 PM IST on a recent Saturday, carried a translated plea: "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 Verification and an Appeal to India
Ghorbani stated that she knows Cheraghi personally and has witnessed numerous similar appeals for assistance. She then provided a sobering personal verification. "I have personally verified the deaths of at least 500 people, including teenagers," she added. "I received their photos and names from my connections inside Iran."
Leveraging her past connection to India, she made 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."
The testimonies paint a picture of a protest movement pushed to its absolute limits, operating in near-total digital darkness, yet finding slivers of connection to tell the world their story and their ultimatum.
