Iran on edge: Protests spread nationwide, hospitals are overwhelmed with dead

Protests against the Ali Khamenei–led government have escalated in Iran, with hospitals struggling to cope with large numbers of dead and injured protesters, the BBC reported on Sunday, citing medical workers on the ground.

Staff at three hospitals told the BBC that facilities in Tehran and other cities were overwhelmed as anti-government demonstrations intensified, with doctors describing gunshot wounds, emergency wards stretched beyond capacity, and morgues filling rapidly.

A medic at one hospital in Tehran said there were "direct shots to the heads of the young people, to their hearts as well", while another doctor said an eye hospital in the capital had gone into crisis mode. Two medical workers said they had treated gunshot wounds caused by both live ammunition and pellets.

A hospital worker in Tehran described what she called "very horrible scenes", saying the scale of casualties left staff unable to cope. "Around 38 people died. Many as soon as they reached the emergency beds...direct shots to the heads of the young people, to their hearts as well. Many of them didn't even make it to the hospital," she said.

She added that morgue capacity was quickly exceeded. "The number was so large that there wasn't enough space in the morgue; the bodies were placed on top of one another. 'After the morgue became full, they stacked them on top of one another in the prayer room,'" she was quoted as saying.

BBC Persian verified that 70 bodies were brought to Poursina Hospital in Rasht city on Friday night. With the morgue full, the bodies were taken away.

The protests began in Tehran about a fortnight ago over economic hardship and have since spread to more than 100 cities and towns across all of Iran's provinces. Hundreds of protesters are believed to have been killed or injured, with many more detained.

Despite a near-total internet blackout imposed since Thursday evening, footage that has emerged shows protesters taking to the streets of Tehran in large numbers on Friday night, burning vehicles, and a government building set on fire in Karaj, near the capital.

The Iranian army has since said it will join security forces in defending public property, following reports that security units were stretched thin as unrest spread nationwide.

On Friday, the United States repeated that killing protesters would be met with a military response. Iran, in turn, blamed the US for turning peaceful demonstrations into what it called "violent subversive acts and widespread vandalism".

Reacting on social media, US President Donald Trump wrote: "Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!"

Iran's leadership remained defiant. In a televised address on Friday, Khamenei said: "The Islamic Republic came to power through the blood of several hundred thousand honourable people and it will not back down in the face of those who deny this."

In later remarks broadcast on state television, he reiterated that his government "will not shirk from dealing with destructive elements" who he said were "trying to please the president of the US".