As protests in Iran entered their second week and Iranian authorities issued coordinated warnings to protesters, doctors from hospitals reported their facilities overwhelmed with injuries.
One doctor reported that an eye hospital in Tehran had gone into crisis mode, highlighting that surgeries were suspended due to the influx. A medic in Shiraz disclosed that his facility lacked enough surgeons to handle the number of well-injured coming in, many with gunshot wounds.
International leaders have echoed calls for protecting the right to peaceful assembly. Protests across multiple cities have resulted in at least 50 fatalities, alongside significant injuries and over 2,311 arrests, according to human rights groups.
The Iranian government has blamed the U.S. for inciting these protests, claiming they have transformed what could have been peaceful demonstrations into acts of violence and vandalism. In response, U.S. officials have stated they are monitoring the situation closely, with President Trump warning Iranian authorities not to resort to lethal force.
The backdrop of these protests features a significant media blackout, making verified information difficult to obtain, as the country has faced an almost total internet shutdown.
The UN and multiple world leaders have condemned the violence and reaffirmed the necessity for a government's responsibility to respect and protect the rights of its citizens to protest peacefully.
