Deadly Tools of Oppression: The Arsenal Against Iran's Protesters

Tue Feb 10 2026 01:18:26 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A shocking investigation reveals the deadly weaponry employed by Iranian security forces during the January protests, illustrating a brutal crackdown that has claimed thousands of lives. This piece sheds light on the brutal tactics and a range of weapons used, from machine guns to machetes.

An in-depth analysis by BBC News Persian showcases the extensive arsenal used by Iranian security forces against protesters during recent uprisings. The investigation confirms the deployment of lethal weapons, including machine guns, sniper rifles, and shotguns, leading to a death toll that some experts describe as unprecedented in modern Iranian history. As the Iranian government deflects blame onto 'rioters and terrorists,' the evidence underscores a systematic and brutal response to public dissent, resulting in widespread loss of life and injury.

Warning: The following story contains graphic details of violence which some readers might find upsetting.

A BBC Persian analysis of hundreds of videos and photographs taken during recent protests in Iran confirms the security forces' use of a wide range of weaponry, including machine guns, sniper rifles, and shotguns.

Protesters were reportedly killed in many of the more than 200 cities where protests had been recorded. While the exact death toll remains unclear, the level of brutality and the deployment of lethal weaponry evidenced in pictures, witness accounts, and reports by human rights groups and the media show thousands have been killed across the country.

The crackdown on protests - which began over the economy but rapidly escalated - employed a level of violence unprecedented in modern Iranian history.

“This is the largest mass killing in contemporary Iranian history and one of the largest in the world,” Payam Akhavan, an Iranian Canadian former UN prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, in The Hague, told BBC News Persian.

The Iranian government has blamed the killings on rioters and terrorists.

But BBC News Persian analysis shows security forces used a number of different weapons on protesters, including:

machine guns
sniper rifles
assault rifles
shotguns
handguns
pellet-firing paintball guns
tear gas
machetes
knives
batons
large wooden clubs
green laser sights and pointers (for blinding and targeting)

Machine guns

Footage from cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, Yazdanshahr, and Shahsavar, verified by BBC News Persian, shows both heavy - such as the DShK - and medium - such as the PK - machine guns mounted on military pickup trucks. The security forces reportedly used these for crowd control and to impose a state of siege.

Sniper rifles

Witnesses have told BBC News Persian sniper rifles were widely used during the January protests, and this is confirmed by the verified footage. In one notable account, a protester was shot in the head by a sniper in front of his child.

Assault rifles

The Kalashnikov assault rifle is the standard-issue weapon for all military and law-enforcement branches in Iran and was observed being used extensively against protesters.

Shotguns

The BBC News Persian investigation confirms the wide use of shotguns, with images showing their deployment during protests. The impact has caused severe injuries, notably to eyes.

Machetes and knives

Multiple protesters recounted being attacked with knives and machetes, and verified videos display uniformed officers using these weapons against demonstrators.