16.01.2026 14:11
As the death toll in the protests that have been ongoing in Iran for 19 days rises to 2,677, a claim has emerged that has garnered significant attention. It has been alleged that the Tehran government has brought in 5,000 Iraqi militiamen to support the suppression of the protests. Military sources reported that hundreds of Shia fighters crossed the border under the guise of a "religious visit."
The number of people who have lost their lives in the protests that have been ongoing for 19 days due to economic problems in Iran has risen to 2,677.
NUMBER OF ARRESTS NEARLY 20 THOUSAND
According to HRANA's report, more than 2,600 people were injured in incidents across many parts of the country, and 19,097 people were detained. In the events that erupted during the protests, 2,677 people lost their lives.
"IRAQI MILITIAS ENTERED THE COUNTRY"
According to a report published by CNN on Thursday, thousands of Iraqi militias crossed into Iran to support the suppression of the protests. The report stated that a European military source and an Iraqi security source claimed that the militias had crossed the border.
ABOUT 5 THOUSAND FIGHTERS
An Iraqi security source reported to CNN that approximately 5,000 fighters from powerful Iraqi militia groups entered Iran through two border crossings in southern Iraq. The European military source claimed that hundreds of Shia fighters crossed the border under the guise of a "religious visit/pilgrimage."
ASSESSMENT OF "ACTIVITY" IN SENSITIVE AREAS
In a European military assessment noted by CNN, it was suggested that these elements were operating in "sensitive areas," including the city of Hamedan in the west.
Iran International also claimed in a report published at the beginning of the month that Iran-backed Iraqi militias had begun recruiting fighters to support Iranian forces in intervening in the protests and had deployed them to the field. The report suggested that hundreds of Shia militiamen from groups such as Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba, Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, and the Badr Organization were smuggled into Iran through various border crossings. The same report claimed that the fighters were transported under the name of "visits," gathered at a base in Ahvaz, and then distributed to different regions.
PROTESTS IN IRAN
Protests that began on December 28, 2025, initiated by shopkeepers in the Grand Bazaar of Tehran due to the significant devaluation of the local currency against foreign currencies and economic problems, spread to many cities. Following the escalation of protests in Tehran on January 8, the country's administration blocked internet access.