By Pishtaz | 2026-06-03

Iranian security forces reportedly imposed deliberate power outages across Najafabad during January 8 and 9 to conceal a deadly crackdown against anti-government demonstrators.

Eyewitness accounts and reporting by Iran International indicated authorities coordinated blackouts with armed operations to obstruct visibility and suppress evidence documenting the killings.

Amnesty International separately confirmed Iranian authorities imposed nationwide internet shutdowns beginning January 8 to conceal widespread abuses committed during the protests.

Reports indicated the violence targeted ordinary civilians rather than armed militants threatening public security or confronting heavily armed government forces.

Victims reportedly included 26-year-old conscript soldier Amir Hossein Zeinali, who witnesses said was fatally shot while assisting an injured woman near Police Station 12.

Other reported victims included fathers, laborers, truck drivers, and service workers trapped inside an escalating campaign of state violence throughout the city.

Witnesses described security forces firing military-grade weapons directly into crowds while repeatedly targeting civilians in the head and chest.

Amnesty International documented evidence showing Iranian forces repeatedly deployed rifles and shotguns loaded with metal pellets against protesters and bystanders.

Additional testimony from Najafabad described security personnel firing from rooftops, police compounds, and mosques while plainclothes agents directed crowds toward ambush locations.

One eyewitness told Iran International the city resembled a "war zone" during the second night of violence and coordinated security operations.

Public outrage intensified after residents alleged authorities used municipal garbage trucks to transport victims’ bodies following the deadly shootings across Najafabad.

Families reportedly struggled recovering bodies from morgues while witnesses claimed authorities targeted individuals protesting the degrading treatment inflicted upon the deceased.

These accounts reinforced broader allegations that Iranian authorities systematically concealed casualty figures and erased evidence connected to the "January Massacre."