Footage of Tehran deaths appears as protests escalate
Video footage shared with the Cyprus Mail by a third party appears to show the aftermath of a crackdown on protesters in Tehran, as demonstrations by the Iranian diaspora continued in Cyprus over the weekend.
The Cyprus Mail could not independently verify the authenticity, date or location of the graphic footage.
It has been shared with this newspaper as part of material circulating online that purports to document the scale of violence used against unarmed civilians.
The footage consists of two separate clips.
In the first, individuals are seen inside what appears to be an office, gathered around a television screen displaying photographs of bodies reprtedly identified as protesters killed during recent demonstrations. Visible timestamps suggest the images were uploaded on Friday.
A second clip, filmed at a different location, shows multiple black body bags laid out in rows along a street.
An individual filming is seen walking past the scene as groups of people gather around the bodies at various points, some stopping to look, others appearing to grieve or speak quietly among themselves.
The footage continues for several minutes, suggesting the scale of the deaths, with the body bags extending along the roadway as bystanders line the surrounding pavements.
Tehran has previously denied accusations by international human rights organisations that its security forces have used lethal force against demonstrators.
Developments inside Iran have prompted renewed protests among the Iranian community in Cyprus.
On Sunday, demonstrators gathered outside the Iranian Embassy in Nicosia for a second time, holding banners reading “Freedom to Iran” and chanting slogans in support of anti-government protests.
Police officers were stationed outside the embassy as dozens assembled.
Further protests took place in Limassol, where Iranians gathered at the Molos amphitheatre and later in Episkopi.
Demonstrators described Iran as a dictatorship, condemned the use of violence against civilians and said the political situation prevented them from returning safely to their homeland.
Several said they feared for the safety of family members still in Iran.
Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, Alexis Mahtabi, a lead organiser of the Iranian diaspora protests in Cyprus, said a further demonstration had also been organised earlier on Monday.
“We are here today because we have heard the call of our Shah, as all Persians around the world have, in support of our homeland,” he said, referring to Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last Shah and crown prince to the dynasty.
Mahtabi added that organisers are planning a rally on Tuesday outside the US Embassy in Nicosia, calling on President Trump to intervene.
“We are told the regime has butchered tens of thousands of our people. What more does the world need to stop this?” he said.
He also pointed to an increased police presence around the Iranian Embassy on Armenia Street during Sunday’s protest.
Members of the Iranian diaspora in Cyprus told the Cyprus Mail that further demonstrations are planned, with organisers saying the gatherings aim to draw international attention to developments inside Iran and to press for a response from the global community.
Tehran warned on Sunday that it would retaliate against Israeli and United States military bases if Washington were to launch strikes.
Israeli sources said the country was on high alert, while Donald Trump warned Iranian leaders against the use of force on demonstrators and said the United States stood ready to intervene.
The circulation of the footage comes amid intensified unrest across Iran following the most serious challenge to the Ayatollah’s regime since 2022, sparked by renewed public anger over political repression, economic hardship and allegations of widespread violence against protesters.