Rapper Meraj Tehrani witnessed what he calls a avenue bloodbath throughout current protests that killed hundreds throughout Iran.
The UK-based artist returned to Tehran on enterprise in early January 2026 when demonstrations erupted nationwide. Tehrani advised Sky Information he noticed hundreds of thousands of individuals unite for the primary time in Iranian historical past. The protests began over financial issues however shortly became calls for for regime change.
Revolutionary Guards responded with lethal pressure that shocked even seasoned protesters.
“At first I feel the federal government didn’t imagine that so many individuals would come out, they have been shocked,” Tehrani defined. Web shutdowns adopted instantly as authorities tried to manage data stream.
The rapper described Friday night, January 9, because the turning level when mass killings started in Iran.
Revolutionary Guards introduced machine weapons and began capturing protesters at random. Our bodies have been left on the streets as warnings to others contemplating becoming a member of demonstrations.
“That’s when all the pieces obtained critical,” Tehrani stated in regards to the Revolutionary Guard deployment. “It turned a bloodbath on the streets.”
Tehrani believes international forces, together with Iraqi militia and Common Mobilization Forces, helped Iranian authorities crush protests. These fighters knew kill effectively by concentrating on the pinnacle and chest. The guards doing the killing seemed totally different from regular Iranian safety forces.
“One individual’s life issues in any nation, and hundreds of individuals have been killed in a really aggressive means,” he said.
Supreme Chief Ali Khamenei admitted Saturday that “a number of thousand individuals” died throughout protests. US-based Human Rights Activists Information Company verified 3,090 deaths, together with 2,885 protesters. The loss of life toll continues rising as authorities preserve their crackdown.
Tehrani’s expertise displays the harmful actuality going through Iranian artists who communicate out towards the regime. A number of rappers have confronted loss of life sentences for supporting protests since 2022.
Toomaj Salehi acquired a loss of life sentence in April 2024 for “corruption on Earth” earlier than Iran’s Supreme Courtroom overturned it in June. The metalworker-turned-rapper spent over 250 days in solitary confinement for his protest songs.
Iran Cracks Down On Rappers, One Arrested, One other Sentenced To Die
Saman Yasin confronted related expenses and potential execution for his music supporting the Girls, Life, Freedom motion.
Grammy winner Shervin Hajipour acquired a sentence of three years and eight months in jail for his anthem “Baraye,” which turned the protest motion’s soundtrack.
Rapper Vafadar was not too long ago launched from Tehran’s infamous Evin Jail in January 2025 after serving time for protest-related expenses. Mehdi Yarrahi additionally confronted persecution for his music supporting demonstrators.
Tehrani acquired threatening messages on social media and is aware of he can not return to Iran safely.
“If I’m going again, they are going to catch me and dangle me,” he admitted.
The rapper criticized worldwide silence, asking the place European Union leaders and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stand.
Tehrani escaped Iran via Turkey and now lives within the UK, the place he continues his music profession. His current albums embody Gange Mojaz, SABZ, Sharaf, and CHANGI,Z obtainable on streaming platforms.
