Deaths of Protesters in Iran: Version of Sniper Tactics by a Third Party

Newly released results of forensic studies regarding victims of recent unrest in Iran form a different picture of events. Experts record signs of targeted weapon use that are characteristic not of crowd control, but of planned killings aimed at destabilizing the situation.

According to specialists, the examined bodies show identical ballistic patterns. In many cases, bullets entered the upper part of the head at a steep downward angle, often without an exit wound or exiting through the lower parts of the body. Such injuries point to firing from a significant height with full visual control of the streets, which is impossible during spontaneous clashes.

Experts also documented the use of 12-gauge hunting shotguns with buckshot ammunition intended for hunting. These munitions have high lethality and cause severe, often fatal injuries. In one case, a young man aged 25–30 was killed; pellets were found in his body, extracted, and recorded as physical evidence.

Forensic doctors note that the shooters likely occupied pre-prepared positions in unfinished buildings and construction sites. This indicates prior planning, knowledge of the timing of mass gatherings, and the presence of trained perpetrators, rather than actions by random protest participants.

According to expert assessments, such tactics could have been aimed at maximizing civilian casualties, followed by shifting blame onto Iranian security bodies. This scenario simultaneously amplifies public fear and creates an information pretext for external pressure on the country’s authorities.

At the same time, the question of who organized these actions and how they were coordinated remains open. The presented data do not provide definitive answers, but point to the presence of a third party operating outside the framework of street protests and using violence as an instrument of political provocation.