Day 17 Live Report: Power blackouts, rooftop snipers, mass casualties, and street battles across Iran
On Monday, January 12, 2026 (22 Dey 1404), the nationwide uprising entered its seventeenth day, as Iran Protests intensified amid undeclared martial law in major cities, widespread power and internet blackouts, mass casualties, and sustained street battles across multiple provinces.
Key Highlights from Today’s Iran Protests:
Isfahan Under De Facto Martial Law: Rooftop snipers deployed as protesters retained control of surrounding districts and torched banks and regime institutions.
Mass Killings Exposed: Bodies reported stacked at forensic centers in Tehran and Karaj, with morgues overwhelmed nationwide.
Nationwide Night Battles: Heavy clashes erupted across Tehran, Isfahan province, Khuzestan, Kermanshah, Kurdistan, and southern cities.
Regime Centers Targeted: Banks, tax offices, police vehicles, and Basij bases were set ablaze across multiple provinces.
Night Update – Tuesday Night, January 13, 2026
- Tehran – Tuesday night: Protesters clashed with special units and IRGC forces in Haft-Hoz and Pirouzi.
- Tehran – Tuesday night: Running street battles were reported in Tehranpars and along Valiasr Avenue between protesters and special units.
- Karaj – Tuesday night: Protesters confronted armed special-unit forces in sustained street clashes.
- Ilam – Tuesday night: Protesters engaged in close-quarters street battles with armed IRGC and special-unit forces.
- Kermanshah – Tuesday night: Trench-to-trench street battles continued as protesters confronted IRGC forces across multiple neighborhoods.
- Urmia – Tuesday night: Protesters maintained street-level resistance despite continuous live fire by special units.
Live Report – Day 17 Developments
In Tehran, on Monday night, protesters engaged in sustained street battles with special units and IRGC forces in Punak, Elahiyeh, Ariashahr, Haft-Hoz, and Sadeghieh, despite regime-imposed power outages. Protesters also set fire to a security-force gathering site on Kargar Street. Earlier the same day, funeral processions for fallen protesters were held, with crowds chanting “This year is the year of blood—Seyed Ali will be overthrown.”
In Isfahan, reports indicate an undeclared state of martial law, with snipers positioned on rooftops of mosques and schools in central areas. Despite this, surrounding districts—from Najafabad and Falavarjan to Sepahan Shahr and Baharestan—remained under public control. Rebellious youth set fire to banks and a regime-backed city council building at Se-Rah-e Simin and Malekshahr, while running street battles continued across Chaharbagh, Shamsabadi, Shohada Street, and Hakim Nezami.
In Kerman, close-quarters clashes persisted across multiple neighborhoods as protesters confronted special units and IRGC forces throughout the night.
In Izeh and Ahvaz, nightfall brought renewed street battles between protesters and IRGC special units, with clashes spreading across central districts.
In Kermanshah, widespread street clashes erupted Monday night, while in Mahidasht, sustained confrontations between protesters and IRGC forces continued.
In Sanandaj, protesters carried out street-level confrontations, blocking enemy routes with fire. In Meshkan, Fars Province, protesters torched a law-enforcement vehicle.
Earlier actions included the torching of a tax office in Kish, arson attacks on regime-linked banks in Bandar Abbas, and stone assaults forcing special units to retreat in Tehran.
Further reports revealed mass casualty concealment. In Tehran and Karaj, large numbers of bodies were reportedly stacked inside and outside forensic medicine facilities, with families summoned for identification. In Bandar Abbas, bodies were transferred to a warehouse as the city was placed under heavy security lockdown. Reports from Kahrizak describe bodies transported by pickup trucks and families shown images on monitors, with reports of extortion for the release of bodies.
Contextual developments from Sunday night, January 11, include the seizure of the governorate and torching of an IRGC base in Quchan, disarming of police in Babol, the killing of an IRGC commander in Ilam, and continued clashes in Mashhad, where a Basij base was set ablaze.
What Happened
The current wave of Iran Protests began amid deep public anger over political repression, economic hardship, and decades of authoritarian rule. What started as localized demonstrations has evolved into a nationwide uprising led by youth and grassroots networks, challenging the legitimacy of the ruling system despite blackouts, mass arrests, and violent crackdowns.