Killing of Saghar Etemadi

On 3 January 2026, 22-year-old Saghar Etemadi, a hairdresser and nail-technician from Farsan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, Iran, was shot in the face by Islamic Republic security forces during the 2025–2026 Iranian protests. She was initially declared wounded but reportedly died from her wounds the next day.

Starting on 28 December 2025, widespread protests erupted across Iran amid a deepening economic crisis and growing public frustration with government corruption,^[1] and demands for the end of the regime.^[2][3] The protests were Initially triggered by soaring inflation, skyrocketing food prices, and the Iranian rial's sharp depreciation,^[4] but quickly expanded into a broader movement demanding political change and the end of the Islamic Republic, with slogans like "Death to the Dictator", referring to supreme leader Ali Khamenei,^[3] and "Long live the Shah", referring to Reza Pahlavi.^[5][6][7][3] The demonstrations began in Tehran's Grand Bazaar, and spread to universities and major cities including Isfahan, Shiraz, and Mashhad,^[8] drawing students and merchants alike, many of whom cited government corruption, mismanagement, and prioritization of foreign conflicts over domestic needs as major grievances.^[9] The economic crisis, worsened by the 2025 conflict with Israel, reimposed UN sanctions, chronic inflation (42.2% in December),^[8] and food and health price surges of 50–72%,^[8] left merchants struggling to trade and households struggling to survive. Calls for reform grew alongside outrage over energy shortages, water crises, and civil rights abuses,^[5] and by early January 2026, dozens of protesters had been arrested, with reports of security forces firing live ammunition directly at demonstrators.^[3]

On 3 January 2026, twenty-two-year-old Saghar Etemadi, a hairdresser and nail-technician from Farsan, in the province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari,^[10][11] was shot in the face by the Basij.^[11][12] The weapon used was reportedly a shotgun, which initially wounded Etemadi.^[11][13] She was subsequently evacuated to the Hajar Hospital in Farsan and was hospitalized, though she later succumbed to her wounds on 4 January 2026.^[11]

Social media users were outraged over Etemadi's death, and many compared her to 22-year-old Mahsa Amini,^[11] who was arrested in 2022 by the Guidance Patrol for allegedly wearing her hijab incorrectly, and then died in their custody "as a result of beatings" according to a UN human rights expert.^[14]

Iranian government authorities denied that Etemadi died.^[15]

• 2025–2026 Iranian protests
• 2026 Iran massacres