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Snapshot 7:Thu, Feb 5, 2026 11:36:44 PM GMT last edited by Anna-Lisa

Iran: Government Protester Death Toll Draws Scrutiny

Iran: Government Protester Death Toll Draws Scrutiny

Is Iran systematically traumatizing a generation through mass repression or is the death toll exaggerated by Western propaganda?
Iran: Government Protester Death Toll Draws Scrutiny
Above: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (center front) in Tehran on Jan. 31, 2026. Image credit: Iranian Presidency/Handout/Anadolu/Getty Images

The Spin

Iran's brutal crackdown represents collective punishment on an unprecedented scale, with up to 40,000 people detained, doctors arrested for treating protesters and businesses seized. The authorities in Tehran are traumatizing an entire generation through forced confessions, funeral bans and systematic repression to prevent future uprisings. The Iranian people, who are bravely voicing their outrage publicly, deserve an end to this oppressive regime.

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Metaculus Prediction

There's a 54% chance that the United States will attack Iran before April 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.



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All rights reserved.

Version 6.18.0