Iran Abdanan Memorial Crackdown: IRGC Opens Fire on Mourners

Iranian security forces fired on a large gathering of mourners Tuesday during 40th-day memorial ceremonies in Abdanan, a city of roughly 25,000 in the western Ilam province, injuring several people, according to video footage received and verified by Iran International.

The incident comes as families across Iran commemorate the end of the traditional Iranian Islamic 40-day mourning period this week for loved ones killed at the peak of a bloody crackdown on nationwide protests demanding an end to authoritarian clerical rule.

How families mark the 40th-day memorials for the thousands killed from January 8 to January 10 is testing both the success of the crackdown and the ability of government opponents to find new ways to defy the leadership. Fortieth-day memorials have played a pivotal role in the country's modern history, they were a launchpad for the protests that eventually overthrew Iran's shah in the 1979 revolution.

Alireza Seydi, a 16-year-old from Abdanan and a resident of Tehran, was killed by gunfire from security forces during protests on January 8. His funeral was held on January 11, with large crowds and anti-government slogans. During the ceremony, security forces opened direct live fire on those attending. Tuesday's violence marks the 40-day commemoration for him and other victims of the January crackdown.

IRGC Opens Fire on Abdanan Mourners Today in Fresh Crackdown on Iran Memorials

Internet Disruptions and Information Restrictions

Disruptions were reported in Qazvin and Ahvaz, while users in Qom, Mashhad, Najafabad, Tabriz, Abdanan, and Malekshahi also reported internet outages or slowdowns. Internet traffic in Iran had dropped by about 45% since last Wednesday, with overall data exchange nearly halved compared with levels before February 11. The restrictions have significantly hampered independent verification of the full scale of today's events.

A City at the Heart of the Uprising

Abdanan has been a persistent flashpoint throughout the 2025–2026 uprising. The Western Iranian province of Ilam emerged as one of the epicenters of nationwide protests, with some of the deadliest confrontations yet between demonstrators and security forces. The scale of unrest has been especially striking in Ilam.

Yesterday, protests were held in the streets of Abdanan. Nationwide strikes were conducted by businesses, stores, cafes, and workers as well as by online shops and social media influencers.

The death toll from the crackdown over Iran's nationwide protests has reached at least 7,003 people killed, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which has been accurate in counting deaths during previous rounds of unrest in Iran and relies on a network of activists inside the country to verify deaths. Iran's government offered its only death toll on January 21, saying 3,117 people were killed.

Esmaeil Qaani, commander of the IRGC Quds Force, has threatened protesters and those he described as supporting them, saying they would face consequences. He said people who backed what he called "rioters and terrorists" were criminals and would see the outcome of their actions.

The authorities appear keen to control the memorial rituals. One way they are doing that is to make the rituals their own, on Monday, the Iranian authorities announced plans for official mourning ceremonies in the capital, Tehran, and the northern city of Mashhad. Meanwhile, some families reported trying to hold ceremonies that skirted authorities' restrictions, including signing pledges not to chant political slogans.