Grave Matters: Bodies Pile Up in Iran as Death Toll Surpasses 3,000 at Hands of Desperate Regime
More than 3,000 Iranians have now been slaughtered in what can only be described as the Iranian regime’s last, desperate gasp to retain power. Since December 28, the streets of Iran have become killing fields as a crumbling theocracy unleashes raw terror against its own people—men, women, and youth whose only “crime” is demanding freedom.
Shirin Nariman, former Political Prisoner in Iran, as well asIranian Americans who are experts on the geopolitics of Iran, Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad and Dr. Kazem Kazerounian are available for interviews on behalf of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
According to the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), the confirmed death toll from the nationwide uprising has surpassed 3,000 as of January 11, based on investigations across 195 cities, drawing from hospitals, forensic centers, and families of the dead and disappeared. These are not estimates. These are names, bodies, and shattered lives.
In a grotesque act of psychological warfare, the regime has even paraded some victims on state television—falsely blaming protesters themselves for the killings. It is propaganda layered atop mass murder, designed to intimidate a population that has already shown it no longer fears the consequences of resistance.
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), has called the massacre what it is: a major crime against humanity. She has vowed that the architects and executioners of this bloodshed will face justice in a democratic Iran. Her words resonate because this uprising is not fading—it is expanding, driven by a new generation that understands the regime is weakest when it is most violent.
For U.S. audiences, the scale of this atrocity must be put in context. Iran’s population is roughly one-quarter that of the United States. Per capita, the slaughter of more than 3,000 Iranians is the equivalent of losing approximately 12,000 Americans in a matter of days. For comparison, nearly 3,000 Americans were killed on September 11—a national trauma that reshaped U.S. policy for decades.
Yet today, the Iranian people are enduring a 9/11-scale tragedy multiplied several times over, inflicted not by foreign terrorists but by their own government.
NCRI spokesmen are available to speak urgently about why this massacre marks a turning point, why silence empowers the killers, and why the world must recognize that the Iranian people—and their organized resistance—are fighting not just for Iran’s future, but for the universal principles of human dignity and accountability.
Speakers Available:
Shirin Nariman – Former Political Prisoner in Iran
Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad – Iranian American
Dr. Kazem Kazerounian – Iranian American
Alireza Jafarzadeh – Deputy Director of NCRI
Shahin Gobadi – Member of NCRI Parliament in Exile
Ali Safavi – Member of NCRI Parliament in Exile
Related Article(s)
PMOI: More than 3,000 Dead in Iran’s Nationwide Uprising as of January 11 – NCRI
Optional Q&A
- What does the killing of more than 3,000 protesters in just weeks tell us about how desperate and unstable the Iranian regime has become?
- How were these death toll figures verified across 195 cities, and what do they reveal about the scope of the nationwide uprising?
- Why would the regime display victims’ bodies on state television and falsely blame protesters for their deaths—what message is it trying to send?
- Maryam Rajavi has called this a crime against humanity; what specific individuals and institutions should ultimately be held accountable?
- How does this uprising differ from previous waves of protest in Iran, and why does the regime appear more frightened this time?
- What role are resistance units and organized opposition playing on the ground as the repression intensifies?
- When adjusted for population, this massacre is equivalent to losing roughly 12,000 Americans—why hasn’t the international response matched the scale of the crime?
- What concrete steps should the United States and its allies take now to stand with the Iranian people rather than embolden the regime?
PMOI: Death Toll from Nationwide Uprising Surpasses 3,000 as of January 11
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi: This Is a Major Crime Against Humanity, and Its Architects and Perpetrators Will Face Justice
The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) announced that the death toll from the nationwide uprising, which began on December 28, 2025, has surpassed 3,000 as of January 11, 2026.
The figures are based on investigations drawing on local sources, hospitals, forensic medicine centers, and the families of those killed or disappeared across 195 cities. The Iranian regime was forced to display some of the bodies on state television, falsely attributing the killings to its opponents and to protesters.
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), extended her condolences to the people of Iran, particularly to the families, relatives, friends, and fellow activists of these proud martyrs. She stated that this major crime against humanity will not go unanswered by the Iranian people and the uprising youth.
Mrs. Rajavi emphasized that those who ordered and carried out this brutal massacre will undoubtedly be brought to justice in a democratic Iran of tomorrow.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)
12 January 2026
ABOUT SHIRIN NARIMAN…
Shirin Nariman is a former political prisoner from Iran, human rights advocate, and entrepreneur.
At just 15 years old, during the 1979 Iranian Revolution, she became involved in pro-democracy activities and supported the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI). Less than two years later, she was arrested for her activism—becoming one of the youngest political prisoners of her time and enduring severe torture in Evin Prison. Her case drew international attention and intervention from the Red Cross.
During her imprisonment, Shirin witnessed the regime’s brutality firsthand, including the executions of children, elderly women, and pregnant prisoners. After her release, she eventually sought refuge in the United States, where she has dedicated her life to advocating for human rights, women’s rights, and a free, democratic, non-nuclear Iran.
Shirin holds a bachelor’s degree in management information systems and has worked with leading wireless and financial corporations.
ABOUT DR. RAMESH SEPEHRRAD…
Born in Shiraz, Iran, Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad is a leading Iranian American scholar, published author, cybersecurity executive, and human rights advocate, known for her tireless efforts to advance a non-nuclear, secular, and democratic republic in Iran. Her commitment to justice in Iran is deeply personal. As Chair of the Advisory Board of the Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC), she plays a pivotal role in bipartisan majority of congressional advocacy, including support for various house resolutions, which endorses the Iranian people’s aspirations for freedom and Maryam Rajavi’s ten-point plan.
ABOUT DR. KAZEM KAZEROUNIAN…
Dr. Kazem Kazerounian is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Connecticut and served as Dean of the College of Engineering from 2012 to 2024.
A passionate advocate for democracy and human rights, Dr. Kazerounian is also an expert on Iran and the Middle East, particularly regarding the Iranian nuclear issue, and human rights situation in Iran. He has contributed widely through scholarly articles, invited talks, and media interviews on regional affairs and the democratic movement in Iran.
Nationally, he has held leadership roles with ASEE and ASME, shaping engineering policy and education. His honors include the ASME Mechanisms and Robotics Award, AIMBE Fellowship, and induction into the Connecticut Academy of Science & Engineering.
An ASME Fellow, his research spans kinematics, robotics, and biomechanics. He has authored over 160 scholarly works and co-founded AcademicKeys.com and AcademicJournal.com, a professional platform and an online journal for academics.
ABOUT ALIREZA JAFARZADEH…
Alireza Jafarzadeh serves as the Deputy Director of the Washington Office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). He is also the author of The Iran Threat (Palgrave MacMillan, New York, 2008).
A recognized expert on Iranian policy, Jafarzadeh has been at the forefront of efforts to prevent the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons. His groundbreaking work in 2002 and 2003 led to the discovery of key illicit nuclear sites in Iran, including the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, the Arak heavy water plant, the Kalaye Electric centrifuge testing facility near Tehran, and the Lashkar Ab’ad laser enrichment facility. These revelations prompted the first-ever inspections of Iranian nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Jafarzadeh is a frequent guest on major television and radio networks, including CBS Evening News, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, CNBC, Bloomberg TV, and France 24. His insights have also been featured in leading publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Time, and The Hill.
ABOUT SHAHIN GOBADI…
Shahin Gobadi, a U.S.-educated nuclear engineer, is a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Iran’s Parliament-in-Exile.
An astute observer of Iranian affairs for over three decades, Gobadi is an expert on topics including Iranian state-sponsored terrorism, proxy groups in the Middle East, the Iranian nuclear and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs, Western policy toward Iran, and internal Iranian affairs.
He has been interviewed by major international media outlets, including CNN, Fox News, BBC, Sky TV, GB News, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, Reuters, and the Associated Press. Gobadi’s writings have appeared in prominent media across the U.S. and Europe.
ABOUT ALI SAFAVI…
Ali Safavi is a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Iran’s Parliament-in-Exile.
A sociologist by training, Safavi studied and taught at UCLA, California State University Los Angeles, and the University of Michigan. He was an active participant in the anti-Shah student movement in the 1970s in the United States and has been deeply engaged in Iranian affairs ever since.
Safavi has lectured and written extensively on Iran, Iraq, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and Middle Eastern politics. He has appeared in interviews on networks such as CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CBS, BBC, Sky TV, Newsmax, and France 24. His articles and commentary have been published in leading outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Hill, The Boston Herald, The Washington Times, and The Financial Times.
This material is distributed by Special Guests Publicity LLC on behalf of National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) / Media Strategy Consulting LTD. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. CONTACT: For further details or to arrange the interview, please contact Jerry McGlothlin at 919-437-0001 / Bookings@SpecialGuests.com
