Iran Leader Succession: Guards’ Power Grab?

A Tehran resident says he participated in a state-led crackdown on protests in Iran on January 8 and 9, describing a coordinated effort involving armed men, rooftop snipers, and the systematic targeting of demonstrators. The man, identified as Kazem, alleges a deliberate campaign to kill protesters, with some accounts suggesting the use of foreign fighters and the desecration of bodies.

The Call-Up

Kazem stated he received a call on January 7 instructing him to report to the IRGC’s Vali-e Asr garrison in Tehran the following morning. The compound coordinates security deployments across the capital. He believed the call was related to planned protests for January 8 and 9.

Upon arrival, Kazem says he observed dozens of men, categorized as either appearing to be ordinary citizens or “thugs and hooligans.” Roughly 50 to 60 men were briefed on the “possibility of unrest” and tasked with “controlling riots.” Those lacking firearms experience received weapons training and were issued authorizations for Kalashnikov rifles, handguns, and ammunition. The authorization he received was a temporary mission order signed by a senior operations official at the Imam Ali headquarters.

He was instructed to report to the Qods Basij Resistance Base in Jannat Abad, northwestern Tehran, and was subsequently deployed to western Tehran before 8 p.m.

Hunting Leaders and Death Ambushes

Kazem described Sadeghieh, a neighborhood in northwestern Tehran, as a primary confrontation zone. He identified two operational patterns: “hunting leaders” and steering crowds into enclosed spaces.

The “hunting leaders” tactic involved intelligence operatives infiltrating protests to identify organizers, often those who were physically fit. According to Kazem, these operatives would either shoot targets at close range or communicate their descriptions to rooftop snipers. He says rooftop snipers were positioned on multiple buildings in the area.

The second pattern involved directing protesters into dead-end alleys or controlled areas “to kill as many as possible,” Kazem said. Multiple videos and reports, including those from Reuters and Amnesty International, indicate the presence of snipers on rooftops firing at protesters.

Finishing Shots

Kazem recounted encountering an injured protester in southern Tehran who pleaded for his life, stating he had a child. Kazem says he advised the man to feign death to avoid being killed.

Shortly after, Kazem alleges he witnessed an officer on a motorcycle kick the wounded man to confirm he was alive before shooting him in the head at close range.

Killing Children and Refrigerated Trucks

Kazem claims children were among those killed during the crackdown, estimating at least 200 deaths over the two nights based on his observations in Sadeghieh and a southern Tehran district. He says bodies were collected using refrigerated trucks belonging to the Mihan ice cream company, a method reportedly used during earlier protests.

He personally helped load corpses into these trucks. Kazem also alleges he witnessed someone removing jewelry from a deceased 9- or 10-year-old girl before placing her body in a truck.

Iran Human Rights reported that security forces transported bodies in Mihan ice cream trucks to a hospital courtyard in Lorestan province. Iran International contacted Mihan for comment but received no response. France 24 and Amnesty International have also reported the use of food transport vehicles to move bodies.

Burning Property and Foreign Forces

Kazem says he witnessed security personnel setting fire to banks and mosques after removing valuables. He also reported seeing a small number of fighters affiliated with Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces in Sadeghieh.

While the majority involved were IRGC, plainclothes officers, Basij members, and security forces, he noted the presence of Hashd al-Shaabi. Regular police and special units appeared less directly involved in lethal force, according to Kazem.

Media reports have confirmed a limited presence of Hashd al-Shaabi forces during the crackdown, and footage verified by several outlets suggests security forces were responsible for damaging public property.

Payment for the Dead

Kazem says he returned his weapon on Saturday morning and was no longer required. He subsequently heard that families seeking the bodies of loved ones were sometimes required to pay money, based on neighborhood and reported property damage.

“They couldn’t charge everyone for bullets,” he said. “But when they did, it was based on how much damage the neighborhood had suffered.” Iran International has documented instances of authorities extorting money from bereaved families in exchange for bodies.

Kazem’s account suggests the events of January 8 and 9 were not a reactive response to protests, but a coordinated, military-style campaign designed to suppress demonstrations with deadly force.