Rapper Meraj Tehrani witnessed what he calls a street massacre during recent protests that killed thousands across Iran.
The UK-based artist returned to Tehran on business in early January 2026 when demonstrations erupted nationwide. Tehrani told Sky News he saw millions of people unite for the first time in Iranian history. The protests started over economic problems but quickly turned into demands for regime change.
Revolutionary Guards responded with deadly force that shocked even seasoned protesters.
“At first I think the government didn’t believe that so many people would come out, they were surprised,” Tehrani explained. Internet shutdowns followed immediately as authorities tried to control information flow.
The rapper described Friday evening, January 9, as the turning point when mass killings began in Iran.
Revolutionary Guards brought machine guns and started shooting protesters at random. Bodies were left on the streets as warnings to others considering joining demonstrations.
“That’s when everything got serious,” Tehrani said about the Revolutionary Guard deployment. “It became a massacre on the streets.”
Tehrani believes foreign forces, including Iraqi militia and Popular Mobilization Forces, helped Iranian authorities crush protests. These fighters knew how to kill efficiently by targeting the head and chest. The guards doing the killing looked different from normal Iranian security forces.
“One person’s life matters in any nation, and thousands of people have been killed in a very aggressive way,” he stated.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei admitted Saturday that “several thousand people” died during protests. US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency verified 3,090 deaths, including 2,885 protesters. The death toll continues rising as authorities maintain their crackdown.
Tehrani’s experience reflects the dangerous reality facing Iranian artists who speak out against the regime. Multiple rappers have faced death sentences for supporting protests since 2022.
Toomaj Salehi received a death sentence in April 2024 for “corruption on Earth” before Iran’s Supreme Court overturned it in June. The metalworker-turned-rapper spent over 250 days in solitary confinement for his protest songs.
Iran Cracks Down On Rappers, One Arrested, Another Sentenced To Die
Saman Yasin faced similar charges and potential execution for his music supporting the Women, Life, Freedom movement.
Grammy winner Shervin Hajipour received a sentence of three years and eight months in prison for his anthem “Baraye,” which became the protest movement’s soundtrack.
Rapper Vafadar was recently released from Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison in January 2025 after serving time for protest-related charges. Mehdi Yarrahi also faced persecution for his music supporting demonstrators.
Tehrani received threatening messages on social media and knows he cannot return to Iran safely.
“If I go back, they will catch me and hang me,” he admitted.
The rapper criticized international silence, asking where European Union leaders and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stand.
Tehrani escaped Iran through Turkey and now lives in the UK, where he continues his music career. His recent albums include Gange Mojaz, SABZ, Sharaf, and CHANGI,Z available on streaming platforms.
