Key Facts
• Farzat, originally a law student in Tehran, became a taxi driver after political arrests.
• Arrested 4 times in 9 years; charged with “contact with enemy states” carrying a 9-year sentence.
• Expelled from university due to alleged criminal record.
• Drives in Karaj, site of intense anti-government protests.
• Witnessed security forces shooting live rounds mainly at protesters’ abdomen and genital area.
• Saw blood on streets and 3 bodies within 15 minutes of driving.
• Most severe shootings occurred on January 8 and 9.
• Farzat fled to Iraq’s Sulaymaniyah region via smuggling routes days before interview.
• He is a mid-30s Kurdish minority from eastern Iran, lived near Tehran.
• Iran’s near-total internet blackout lasted nearly 10 days; foreign journalists barred.
• Amnesty International reported 80+ bodies brought to a Karaj hospital on January 8 night.
• HRANA claims nearly 3,000 killed nationwide since crackdown began; CNN cannot verify.
• 2022 protests after Mahsa Amini’s death saw rubber bullets; current protests met with live fire.
• Protesters destroyed regime symbols and mosques in anger.
• Farzat skeptical of former US President Trump’s claimed support, suspects regime deals.
• He believes regime’s fall is imminent due to public exhaustion and poverty.
• Average monthly income around $200, insufficient for basic living costs.
• Predicts protests will reignite despite violent repression.
Summary
Farzat, an Iranian Kurdish man who fled to Iraq, recounts witnessing brutal government crackdowns on anti-regime protests in Karaj near Tehran. Once a law student, repeated arrests forced him into taxi driving. He describes security forces shooting live ammunition at protesters’ vulnerable areas, resulting in multiple deaths and bloodshed visible from his taxi. The crackdown has intensified since January 8, with reports of hundreds of bodies and thousands killed nationwide, though exact figures remain unverified. Unlike the 2022 protests triggered by Mahsa Amini’s death, which initially faced rubber bullets, current demonstrations are met with deadly force. Farzat highlights deep public anger, destruction of regime symbols, and widespread poverty fueling unrest. Despite skepticism toward international political promises, he believes the regime’s collapse is only a matter of time as Iranians refuse to endure imposed misery. He foresees renewed protests that government violence cannot suppress, underscoring the ongoing crisis in Iran amid communication blackouts and media restrictions.
