Calls are increasing inside Iran for an independent investigation into the number of people killed during recent nationwide protests, after the government announced it would oversee the publication of the names of those who died.
The move, announced Thursday, is an unusual step for Iranian authorities and appears aimed at countering claims by activists and opposition groups that mass killings occurred during the unrest. Some groups have alleged that tens of thousands of people were killed. The government’s official figure, released by the Martyrs Foundation, lists 3,117 deaths, including members of the security forces.
Reformist politicians and legal experts said the government-led process lacks transparency and is unlikely to resolve widespread skepticism over the true scale of the casualties.
Mohsen Borhani, a law professor at Tehran University and a government critic who has previously been imprisoned, said publicly identifying those killed could mark progress, noting that previous protest crackdowns were marked by a near-total absence of official information.
However, Borhani said a credible process would require an independent, publicly accessible system. He suggested creating an online platform where citizens could submit names and details of the deceased anonymously, with authorities committed to verifying each case.
Families of victims face significant risks in coming forward, particularly if they claim their relatives were killed by security forces. Activists say relatives have faced intimidation, pressure, and threats to remain silent.
Public distrust of official figures appears widespread. The Tehran teachers’ union issued a statement describing the unrest as one of the bloodiest episodes of repression in modern Iranian history, asserting that tens of thousands of civilians, including women and children, had been killed — a claim far exceeding official estimates.
Ahmad Zeidabadi, a reformist political analyst, said mistrust between the state and society has grown so deep that many Iranians no longer accept government data on sensitive issues. He argued that the most credible path forward would be to allow an international body to conduct a fact-finding mission.
“Why not entrust this task to a legitimate international organization,” Zeidabadi wrote, “so that the results cannot easily be challenged by opposition groups or foreign governments?”
The Reform Front, a coalition of reformist political groups that supported the election of President Masoud Pezeshkian, also called for an independent investigative committee to examine what it described as an unprecedented national tragedy and to deliver a transparent report to the public.
Reformist lawyer Ali Mojtahedzadeh said the crisis reflects deeper structural problems, arguing that restoring trust would require strengthening civil society and political participation.
Former President Hassan Rouhani weighed in for the first time since the unrest, saying the protests — largely led by a generation raised entirely under the Islamic Republic — underscored the need for major political reforms. He called for the legalization of political parties and an end to strict candidate vetting in elections.
Separately, an unofficial civil committee has begun compiling information on individuals believed to be detained during the protests, as security forces continue operations aimed at identifying what officials describe as protest organizers. No official detention figures have been released, but estimates from lawyers and activists place the number in the tens of thousands.
Authorities have not disclosed how many minors are being held. Teachers’ unions and civil groups have begun publishing photographs and verified information about children killed during the unrest. Government officials have also been seen visiting detainees in custody.
Lawyers speaking to Iranian media said many of those arrested were born in the early 1980s, often served as primary breadwinners for their families, and have begun receiving prison sentences ranging from two to five years. Many detainees come from working-class backgrounds and are reportedly unable to afford bail.