Точка Синхронізації

Iranian security forces deployed a broad arsenal of lethal and non-lethal weaponry, ranging from heavy machine guns to machetes, to systematically suppress nationwide anti-government protests across Iran in late 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini. The investigation conducted by BBC News Persian Forensic reveals that these weapons were utilized in a coordinated effort to dismantle the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' movement, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians and thousands of injuries. The report highlights a brutal crackdown strategy designed to instill fear and regained control through overwhelming physical force. The forensic analysis identifies a disturbing variety of equipment used by the Basij militia and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). While standard riot control gear such as tear gas and rubber bullets were frequently used in urban centers, the investigation confirmed the frequent use of live ammunition. Witnesses and digital evidence show that security personnel utilized Kalashnikov-style rifles and even heavy DShK machine guns in border regions, which are typically reserved for battlefield combat rather than domestic law enforcement. Beyond firearms, the documentation reveals a primitive but lethal aspect of the state’s violence. Security forces were frequently filmed or photographed wielding machetes, knives, and metal clubs to assault unarmed demonstrators at close range. This mix of modern military hardware and traditional bladed weapons indicates a lack of restraint and a policy of maximum intimidation. The findings add to a growing body of evidence regarding human rights violations in Iran, providing a technical breakdown of how the state apparatus mobilized its industrial and paramilitary resources to crush domestic dissent. In addition to the physical weaponry, the BBC report details the tactical deployment of these tools. Security forces often fired from rooftops or moving motorcycles directly into crowds, targeting the heads and torsos of protesters. The use of non-lethal weapons like paintball guns was also redefined during the conflict; instead of marking protesters for later arrest, security forces used them at point-blank range to cause permanent eye injuries, a practice that has left hundreds of young Iranians partially or fully blind.