Iranian Hospitals Overwhelmed as Protests Sweep Across Islamic Republic

Iranian hospitals are reporting a surge in patients with gunshot wounds as anti-government protests intensify across the country. Medical facilities are struggling to cope with the influx of injured demonstrators amid growing unrest that has already claimed at least 72 lives.

A doctor from Tehran’s Farabi Hospital, the city’s primary eye specialist center, told the BBC that the facility has entered crisis mode. Emergency services are overwhelmed, forcing the suspension of non-urgent admissions as medical staff prioritize the treatment of protest-related injuries.

The situation appears equally dire in Shiraz, where a medical professional reported that large numbers of wounded protesters are arriving despite critical shortages of surgeons. Many patients reportedly suffer from gunshot wounds to the head and eyes, suggesting the use of potentially lethal force against demonstrators.

According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, the death toll has reached at least 72 people, with more than 2,300 others detained since the protests began. These figures underscore the severity of the government’s response to what began as economic demonstrations.

The unrest erupted in late December when shopkeepers and bazaar merchants took to the streets to protest against worsening economic conditions. Iran’s currency, the rial, lost approximately half its value against the dollar last year, while inflation surged above 40% in December, severely affecting ordinary Iranians’ purchasing power and living standards.

What started as economic protests quickly evolved into broader anti-government demonstrations, spreading to universities and provincial cities across the Islamic Republic. Young men have increasingly come into direct confrontation with security forces as the movement has gained momentum.

The international community is closely monitoring the situation. During a press conference in Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump acknowledged the growing pressure on the Iranian regime, noting, “Iran’s in big trouble. It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible just a few weeks ago.”

Trump also issued a warning that the United States would respond forcefully if Iranian authorities resort to mass violence against protesters. “We’ll be hitting them very hard where it hurts. And that doesn’t mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts,” the president stated.

The Iranian government’s response has grown increasingly threatening. On Saturday, Iran’s attorney general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, declared that protesters would be considered “enemies of God” – a charge that carries the death penalty in Iran. This severe designation would also apply to anyone assisting demonstrators.

“Prosecutors must carefully and without delay, by issuing indictments, prepare the grounds for the trial and decisive confrontation with those who, by betraying the nation and creating insecurity, seek foreign domination over the country,” read a statement broadcast on Iranian state television. “Proceedings must be conducted without leniency, compassion or indulgence.”

This harsh rhetoric from the attorney general aligns with signals from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has indicated a coming crackdown despite international warnings.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced support for the protesters, writing on social media platform X: “The United States supports the brave people of Iran.”

As tensions escalate, the humanitarian situation remains critical, with hospitals continuing to treat the wounded under increasingly difficult circumstances. The protests represent one of the most significant challenges to the Islamic Republic’s authority in recent years, fueled by a combination of economic hardship and political grievances that show little sign of abating.