Iran Military Kill More Protesters

People gather during protest on January 8, 2026 in Tehran, Iran.

(photo credit: Anonymous/Getty Images)

Tehran deploys non-Iranian fighters to help crush demonstrations, as they are more willing to open fire on civilians, Roni Insaz, an Iranian-born former member of the IRGC, said in a 103FM interview on Sunday.

“They have clear orders. They do not spare bullets,” Insaz said, claiming the regime brings people from Afghanistan and Pakistan because “it is hard for an Iranian to kill an Iranian, but outsiders do not care about the people.

Describing conditions inside Iran, Insaz said “the phone system does not work” and that anything not tied to the internet has been disrupted. He painted a grim picture of daily life, saying business owners spend 6 to 7 hours getting to work while witnessing “horrors” along the way.

Rights groups and monitoring organizations have reported extensive blackouts that have impeded independent verification and left families cut off.

A protester hold a banner reading ''TRUMP SAVE IRAN Target Khamemei'' in a demonstration held under the motto ''Help Iran. No Business With The Mullahs.'' on January 24, 2026 in Berlin, Germany. (credit: Omer Messinger/Getty Images)

Turning to international reactions, Insaz said many Iranians feel let down by Washington and by US President Donald Trump, whom they believed would “give full backing.” 

“They cannot fight like this,” Insaz concluded, saying ordinary Iranians had viewed the United States as a potential supporter but no longer trusted such assurances.

“People took to the streets because they thought there was backing and were abandoned,” he said. “They see Trump as someone who betrayed them.”