The Role of Field Agents in the Suppression of Mazandaran and Alborz Provinces
Reports concerning the events of January 8 and 9, 2026 (18-19 Dey 1404), indicate a shift in the Islamic Republic’s suppression apparatus from “protest containment” to a phase of “Premeditated Mass Killing.” Field evidence and eyewitness testimonies reveal that state security forces, IRGC elements, and plainclothes agents, operating outside legal frameworks and internal firearm regulations, have systematically violated the Right to Life (Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights). This report examines the patterns of targeted headshots, the “cleansing” of the wounded in hospitals, and identifies two key perpetrators of these crimes.
Targeted and Premeditated Killings in Babol
According to a report by an eyewitness (The identity has been withheld for security reasons) regarding the events of January 8 and 9 during the 2026 nationwide protests in Babol, the killing of protesters was targeted and pre-planned. The witness states that relentless gunfire, direct orders to shoot protesters in the head, and the deployment of armed minors were part of a scenario designed to inflict widespread shock on society and immediately quell the protests. Gunshots were heard every three to five seconds; thousands of rounds were fired over two nights without any warning or warning shots.
The witness writes:
“I am aware that in Amol, several wounded individuals were dragged out of hospitals and murdered. Unfortunately, in Babol, in most cases, individuals were killed on the spot, and those wounded—whether by bullets or pellets—were forced to seek treatment in their homes. Babol’s hospitals are unsafe, teeming with informants and reporters, some of whom are unfortunately from the medical staff. Rouhani Hospital, in particular, is in a more concerning state in this regard.”
“It was truly unbelievable. What I saw during those two nights was incomparable to any previous experience. It appeared entirely as though they had planned in advance and decided to simply shoot to suppress the nationwide protests. By my count, in front of Babol’s Police Station 13 and the Shahrbani (Police Headquarters), nearly two thousand rounds were fired within approximately thirty minutes—or perhaps even less; all were direct ground-level shots, not warning shots. One could count a gunshot every three seconds.”
“During the suppression of the protests, I saw with my own eyes a motorcyclist on Friday, in front of Shadi Park on Shariati Street, gathering his forces and, pointing his finger to his forehead, order: ‘Aim for the head.’ The direct and unprovoked shooting at people was pre-planned.”
“On Thursday, January 8, 2026, the highest number of casualties in Babol occurred on the city’s main arteries: Shariati Street, from Shir-o-Khorshid Square to Shahrbani Intersection; from Shahrbani Intersection leading into Baghe-Ferdous to Oqaf, and from Oqaf to Hamzeh-Kola Square. These are the city’s primary thoroughfares where protests had intensified.”
“On Thursday morning, they were shooting on the main streets. On Friday, however, they were shooting and arresting in the back alleys. For example, they killed two boys in Babol; two young boys, 18 or 19 years old, under 20, who were students. The two boys ran into an alley near Amir Kabir Street in the Mahdi-Abad district. Immediately, a motorcyclist with a pillion passenger entered the alley. The boys pleaded, saying, ‘Don’t kill us.’ But they shot one in the head, then the second, and left.”
Identification of Perpetrators and Intelligence Agents (Alborz and Mazandaran Provinces)
- A) The Agent of Direct Fire and Summary Executions in Karaj:
According to reliable information recently obtained, IRGC member Mehdi Varani Farahani played a key role during the suppression of the 2026 nationwide protests. He personally fired at protesters in Mehrshahr, Karaj, and according to eyewitnesses, delivered “coup de grâce” shots to the wounded, amounting to summary executions.
Perpetrator Profile:
- Name: Mehdi Varani Farahani
- Father’s Name: Sohbat-ollah
- National ID: 0532417569
- Home Address: Chaman 4, Mehrshahr, Karaj
- Work Address: Imam Hassan Corps, Sepah Square, Karaj
- Contact Number: 09123558000
Reports indicate that Farahani, active within the Karaj IRGC, was heavily involved in suppression operations in Mehrshahr during the peak of the protests, where he engaged in direct firing at citizens and subsequently executed wounded individuals left on the scene.
- B) Identification and Espionage Agent in Mazandaran:
Alireza Ashofteh is a prominent figure in the Ministry of Intelligence’s (MOIS) espionage network who played a significant role in identifying and exposing protesters in Mazandaran during the 2026 uprising.
Born in 1976, Ashofteh began his MOIS career under the cover of an Asia Insurance agent. This role provided him access to diverse social strata. Following the 2022 protests, his identity was exposed by activists, at which time he was reportedly managing a motor fleet used for assaulting protesters.
After a period of absence from the province, Ashofteh resurfaced with a new identity: “Alireza Bozorgmehr.” Having altered his appearance, he assumed a managerial role in a different administrative structure. In 2023, he was appointed as the supervisor for Mellat Insurance in Mazandaran, Golestan, and Semnan provinces. His current office is located in a high-security zone: Sari, between the Provincial Police Command and the Provincial Intelligence Office, opposite the Parto Mazandaran Imaging Center.
Legal Analysis
The evidence documented in this report constitutes “Extrajudicial Killing” and, on a broader scale, “Crimes Against Humanity.” The use of “coup de grâce” shots and deliberate fire at vital organs (head and forehead) indicates a state policy of physical liquidation rather than crowd dispersal.
Attacking the wounded in hospitals and weaponizing medical staff as informants is a flagrant violation of “Medical Neutrality” and the Geneva Conventions regarding the protection of medical facilities. Transforming hospitals into security traps turns the right to health into a tool for torture and arbitrary detention.
Beyond the commanders, field agents such as Mehdi Varani Farahani and intelligence assets like Alireza Ashofteh, who attempt to sustain suppression through identity changes, bear individual criminal responsibility for these atrocities. Documenting their identities is an essential step toward accountability and the realization of justice in future international and national tribunals. The impunity currently enjoyed by these individuals undermines lasting peace and social security.
Legal Note: Analysis of the Violation of Domestic Firearm Regulations
Clarification regarding the “Internal Firearm Regulations” mentioned in this report:
In analyzing the events of January 2026, it is essential to emphasize that the actions of the repressive forces not only violated international conventions but were also in direct contradiction with the “Law on the Use of Weapons by Armed Forces” within Iran. The following points demonstrate the systematic violation of legal protocols by both commanders and field operatives:
- Failure to Observe the Hierarchy of Warnings: According to Articles 4 and 7 of the aforementioned law, agents are mandated to follow a strict hierarchy: first, a verbal command and warning; second, warning shots fired into the air; and only as a final resort, firing at the lower extremities (below the waist). Eyewitness testimonies confirm that thousands of rounds were fired directly at protesters, completely bypassing this legal hierarchy.
- Intentional Targeting of Vital Organs: The law explicitly stipulates that if shooting becomes necessary, the aim must strictly be directed at the “legs” to prevent loss of life. Documented orders to “shoot for the head” constitute a flagrant violation of this legal provision and serve as definitive evidence of “Criminal Intent and Premeditated Murder.”
- Neglect of or Assault on the Wounded: Domestic regulations obligate agents to provide medical assistance and ensure the transfer of the wounded to medical centers. Conversely, this report documents the abduction of the wounded from hospitals and their subsequent extrajudicial execution (e.g., in Amol and Babol).
The deliberate disregard for these internal protocols indicates that these actions were not “standard law enforcement operations,” but rather a state-organized campaign for extrajudicial killings.
Actions Required
- Universal Jurisdiction Filings: Submission of evidence regarding headshots and summary executions by Mehdi Varani Farahani to prosecutors in European countries and Canada, ensuring an international arrest warrant is issued should he exit Iran (similar to the Hamid Noury case).
- Global Magnitsky Act Sanctions: Providing the detailed profile of Farahani and Ashofteh (Bozorgmehr) to the EU, UK, and USA for asset freezes, visa revocations, and entry bans for them and their immediate families.
- Interpol Blue Notice: Requesting Interpol to track and locate these individuals as suspects of Crimes Against Humanity to prevent their flight or further identity changes.
- Diplomatic Pressure for Hospital Inspections: Urging the WHO and the UN Special Rapporteur to pressure the Iranian Ministry of Health to expel security forces from Rouhani Hospital in Babol and guarantee the safety of wounded detainees at risk of “physical cleansing.”
- Documentation of Fraudulent Identities: Formally notifying international bodies of Alireza Ashofteh’s transition to the alias “Alireza Bozorgmehr” to prevent the use of commercial covers (such as the insurance industry) to bypass sanctions or infiltrate international economic networks.
Conclusion
These facts demonstrate that suppression is no longer a reactive measure but an “Engineered Project.” The precise identification of field agents shatters the regime’s “wall of impunity” and sends a clear message to perpetrators: changing one’s face, identity, or place of service will not grant immunity from international prosecution. Ultimately, what awaits them is accountability and trial for their crimes.
