Voice notes from inside Iran describe mass killings, families denied bodies or humane care, and a nation gripped by fear as the regime looks to crush protests.

We are receiving regular reports on the situation in the country and will continue to update this page as we receive them.

The situation has escalated into something far worse than most expected.  You can also read about the events that led us to this point, covering the first four weeks of protests and the conflict with the security forces.

Ongoing Update — February 27, 2026

Students raising their voices. Students at multiple universities have resumed protesting. Images have emerged of drones circling these protestors, presumably to identify the students. Arrests have continued for days and weeks after a person has been seen on the streets. Young people are determined to finish what has been started.

Torture for those in custody. After weeks of arrests, we are now hearing more and more reports of unimaginable torture from released prisoners. In most cases, there were long stretches where families had no knowledge of the whereabouts of their loved ones. One mother told us that she spent weeks crying and begging at courthouses and police stations across the city until she was finally informed that her son was in custody but he was in solitary confinement and not permitted to speak to anyone. When she was finally granted a phone call, it lasted 30 seconds before it was cut off. All she heard was ‘mom, I’ve been arrested, don’t worry’. After 47 days in custody this young man was finally released. He hardly speaks of what he endured. His physical scars and weak body are painful reminders. He spends his days crying, carrying guilt for the fact he is now free but his friends are still unaccounted for.

Children not exempt. Multiple different sources have told us how their children were pulled aside at school by security forces and questioned. Children as young as five have been asked to divulge what their parents have been saying at home, whether they have been out protesting, and if there are injured individuals in their family.

Ongoing Update — February 20, 2026

Silence is not peace. Streets across Iran are quieter, but grief and exhaustion weigh heavily on communities. “People feel there is nothing left in them,” one contact shared. Fear now shapes daily life — neighbors are afraid to ask if someone has lost a loved one, conversations are cautious, and parents hesitate to send children to school. Some students are staying home as a form of protest. Some schools are threatening failing grades or expulsion to pressure students to attend, while others are allowing remote learning for safety.

Defiance persists. A remnant of citizens remains resolute. Graffiti reading “we are coming back to the streets” has appeared in multiple cities. Politically, it seems the regime itself knows its days are numbered.

Security crackdowns intensify. Individuals are reportedly detained abruptly, sometimes for minor or loosely defined offenses such as “insulting” senior leadership. Many people who had previously been detained and then released have allegedly been called in for questioning by authorities – contributing to greater fear among families, some fleeing toward northern regions and enduring very harsh conditions. Some have claimed being ‘reported’ by their own acquaintances. Night-time home raids continue, including strip-searches for signs of protest participation. Business owners report pressure to provide camera footage from past protest dates. Families describe detainees taken without formal charges or disclosure of their location, raising concerns about enforced disappearances. Children and women are not exempt. Even mourning gatherings carry risk, with attendees receiving warning messages labeling memorials “subversive.”

Violence and sexual abuse. Trusted sources report women in custody have been raped before execution to prevent them “accessing heaven,” and we have even come across (as yet unverified) reports that some uteri have been removed from deceased women to hide evidence. Survivors of incarceration describe forced confessions, torture, and lasting trauma. “Those who come out are not the same,” one source said.

Targeting helpers and coerced compliance. Medical staff who treated injured protesters have reportedly been executed. Reports also describe coerced participation in regime activities and ongoing psychological abuse. One man was reportedly coerced to support regime actions as a condition of release.

Economic and communication strain. Businesses remain closed, cash is scarce, ATMs are empty and inflation worsens hardship. Internet and phone access are restricted and unstable; messages may take hours to deliver, and even basic communication carries risk, compounding the psychological toll.

International solidarity. Even as protests inside Iran have quieted for now, over one million Iranians and allies rallied abroad in solidarity on February 14th in cities including Munich, Toronto, and Los Angeles, drawing global attention to the crisis. These were part of a “global day of action” call by Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s former leader, in solidarity with protests inside Iran.

The people of Iran continue to pay a staggering human and emotional price, while rising tensions and talk of international war add further pressure. Please pray for Iran — for comfort, courage and spiritual awakening. And if you’re able, send urgent humanitarian relief to families facing severe hardship and food shortages.

“So Many Youth Have Been Killed”

On January 25, 2026, Transform Iran pastors received a heart wrenching voice note from one of our team in the country:

I beg you: please don’t stop demonstrating and raising awareness. We no longer even dare to freely walk about in our own towns and streets any more. It is clear to us now that no help is coming from Western leaders. Our only hope now is you. I’m begging you, please alert your friends. Tell them, SO MANY young people have been killed [sobs]. So many! So many! For the sake of these young people… [gets cut off]

Over the last week we have received countless reports of deaths. Fathers and mothers, sons and daughters. No one is left untouched. Our staff have received devastating news about relatives and friends, as well as converts who they had been counseling and mentoring. The authorities have been merciless. In one case, a 24-year-old man was shot in the leg and was bleeding out. Security forces were present at the scene and prevented medical assistance from reaching him. He soon died of his injuries.

Bodies Withheld, Funerals Banned

With little exception, bodies of the dead are gathered by the forces, and relatives are demanded to pay up to 1 billion tomans (closing in on 7,000 USD – an unattainable amount for the vast majority) to retrieve them. Public funeral ceremonies are prohibited. We have also had multiple reports of families being forced to sign documents confirming that their fallen relatives were members of the Basiji forces. This will inevitably inform the official statistics Iranian authorities will release, downplaying the number of lives taken from the Iranian people.

Without doubt tens of thousands have been killed. We believe the the death toll now exceeds 45,000 and will very likely land much higher than that. Hundreds of thousands have been injured including thousands who’ve been intentionally blinded by bullets in the eyes. This is the worst it has ever been under the Islamic Republic.

Many thousands more have been detained whilst hundreds of families (if not more) have no information about the whereabouts or condition of their detained children. Some individuals have fled to mountainous areas to avoid arrest.

Martial Law as Crackdown Intensifies

The brutality of the crackdown has landed the country in effectively a state of martial law:

• Militarized forces everywhere with ‘shoot to kill’ orders in central spaces
• Public spaces are closed
• Curfews are in place
• Numerous checkpoints have been established and mobile phones are routinely inspected
• Citizens are arrested inside their homes
• Jobs are threatened and property is confiscated
• Government has imposed severe internet blackouts severely limiting communication and isolating citizens – from each other as well as from the West, while authorities claim they are simply “maintaining order”

A Nation Under Terror

The general atmosphere is marked by intense fear and deep mistrust. Many citizens avoid close contact with one another for fear of locking eyes with government forces. There is an understood silence and caution. Armed IRGC infiltrate the crowds in civilian clothing. This further increases the mistrust amongst the people.

We don’t even know who our friend or enemy is any more. You don’t know if the person you are speaking to is for you or against you. Because if something comes out of your mouth that is anti-government and he’s a foe, then you’re done for.

A sharp rise in food prices, limited access to supplies, a reduction or complete loss of household income, and unofficial reports of secret executions of detainees have further intensified public anxiety.

Streets have been emptied by force. There are reports of armed patrols with shoot-to-kill authority in certain areas.

Reports of Poisoned Detainees

We have even received reports that with prisons overcrowded, authorities have started releasing detainees – but not before poisoning them. Some have been injected with such high levels of potassium that they can expect heart attacks within a few days. Others have had substances mixed in their food that will cause internal bleeding or a silent death (together with high doses of acetaminophen to make it look like suicide). These methods have been used by Soviets in the past during the Stalin era. Though this is not yet substantiated, the sources are credible and released prisoners have been widely encouraged to immediately go to hospital and have their blood and urine checked.

“Going Outside Is an Act of Suicide”

One message from inside Iran summarizes the reality now facing many citizens:

There is honestly nothing left for us to do now. Going into the street is an act of suicide. It has nothing to do with courage any more. If you go out, they will just kill you there and then. They don’t even ask you why you are in the street. They just kill you.

For more detailed analysis on first four weeks of the uprising, calls to action and specific prayer points

What Can You Do to Help the People of Iran?

(1) Pray. Use our prayer guide to fuel your prayers. Pray in authority, taking down the strongholds of the enemy.

(2) Raise awareness. Share this web page with friends and colleagues. Follow us on social media and share the posts. Don’t let the cry for help from the people of Iran go unheard.

(3) Give. We are raising funds to prepare emergency relief packets for the people. This will primarily cover basic food and medical needs for families struggling to survive. We are also raising funds to enable us to produce timely programs to strengthen the church at this very difficult time.

Thank you for remembering the people of Iran in their hour of need.

Photo credit for header photo: www.iranintl.com