Warning: This story contains details which some readers might find distressing.
An Iranian woman who witnessed the bloody crackdown on protests in Iran has described how her neighbourhood turned into a war zone as security forces opened fire at crowds with live ammunition.
A government-imposed internet blackout in Iran, now in its third week, has prevented many accounts of what has happened from reaching the wider world. But some Iranians who have left the country have been able to share what they have seen.
Parnia, who lives in London, told the BBC that she was visiting her family in the central city of Isfahan when protests broke out in the capital, Tehran. They quickly spread across the country, and within days there were hundreds of protesters in the Hakim Nezami and Khaghani neighbourhoods of Isfahan.
There were women and men from seven to 70 years old... People were chanting 'Death to the dictator' and 'Long live the shah'... I had never seen anything like what happened during the recent unrest, which was sparked by anger over the collapse of the Iranian currency.
In the escalating violence, security forces initially fired tear gas and later live ammunition. I saw people getting shot and falling down, and I saw blood on the street, Parnia recounted.
She further described fleeing from the chaos, seeking refuge in an apartment filled with injured protesters, recounting the horrific sight of a lobby covered in blood and a girl severely injured from birdshot.
As protests intensified, Khamenei refused to back down, leading to heightened tensions and more violence against demonstrators. Parnia noted that the environment was one of total chaos, with injured protesters fearful of seeking medical help, as hospitals were suspected to be monitored by security forces.
Following the violence, Parnia left Isfahan for Tehran in a desperate bid to escape the turmoil and was heartened to learn about ongoing protests in her absence. The increasing reports of fatalities are harrowing; while the government acknowledges a fraction of deaths, international human rights groups estimate the toll to be significantly higher. Parnia plans to amplify the voices of those affected by the crackdown as she speaks out against the regime in the UK.
An Iranian woman who witnessed the bloody crackdown on protests in Iran has described how her neighbourhood turned into a war zone as security forces opened fire at crowds with live ammunition.
A government-imposed internet blackout in Iran, now in its third week, has prevented many accounts of what has happened from reaching the wider world. But some Iranians who have left the country have been able to share what they have seen.
Parnia, who lives in London, told the BBC that she was visiting her family in the central city of Isfahan when protests broke out in the capital, Tehran. They quickly spread across the country, and within days there were hundreds of protesters in the Hakim Nezami and Khaghani neighbourhoods of Isfahan.
There were women and men from seven to 70 years old... People were chanting 'Death to the dictator' and 'Long live the shah'... I had never seen anything like what happened during the recent unrest, which was sparked by anger over the collapse of the Iranian currency.
In the escalating violence, security forces initially fired tear gas and later live ammunition. I saw people getting shot and falling down, and I saw blood on the street, Parnia recounted.
She further described fleeing from the chaos, seeking refuge in an apartment filled with injured protesters, recounting the horrific sight of a lobby covered in blood and a girl severely injured from birdshot.
As protests intensified, Khamenei refused to back down, leading to heightened tensions and more violence against demonstrators. Parnia noted that the environment was one of total chaos, with injured protesters fearful of seeking medical help, as hospitals were suspected to be monitored by security forces.
Following the violence, Parnia left Isfahan for Tehran in a desperate bid to escape the turmoil and was heartened to learn about ongoing protests in her absence. The increasing reports of fatalities are harrowing; while the government acknowledges a fraction of deaths, international human rights groups estimate the toll to be significantly higher. Parnia plans to amplify the voices of those affected by the crackdown as she speaks out against the regime in the UK.
