This page compiles key statistics from the 2022–2023 Iran protests across the country, with demonstrations recorded in all 31 provinces and unrest reaching 192 cities. It looks at the human toll and the reported impacts on students and children, alongside documented detentions and deaths. You’ll also see how authorities responded and how the unrest affected daily life and the economy, including tear gas use, major bazaars closures, oil export changes, GDP slowdown, and inflation.
Key Takeaways
- Over 20,000 arrests during 2022 Woman Life Freedom uprising
- 19,200+ detained as per UN report on protests
- 5,000 arrested in first month of protests
- At least 551 protesters and bystanders killed during the 2022 protests up to January 2023
- Over 500 deaths reported in nationwide protests following Mahsa Amini's death by December 2022
- 537 protester deaths documented by mid-January 2023
- Protests led to 15% drop in oil exports value in Q4 2022
- GDP growth slowed by 2% due to unrest in 2022-23
- 20% rise in inflation linked to protest disruptions
- Protests erupted in 192 cities across Iran by November 2022
- Demonstrations in all 31 provinces recorded
- Over 1,000 protest gatherings documented in first 6 weeks
- Security forces used live ammunition in 80% of fatal incidents
- Tear gas deployed in 95% of protest dispersals
- 23 cases of sexual violence by security forces documented
In 2022, Iran’s Woman Life Freedom protests triggered massive arrests and deaths alongside sharp economic losses.
Related reading
01 · Category
Arrests22 stats
01
Over 20,000 arrests during 2022 Woman Life Freedom uprising
02
19,200+ detained as per UN report on protests
03
5,000 arrested in first month of protests
04
714 university students arrested
05
300 women arrested for hijab violations post-protests
06
4,000+ minors detained
07
1,500 arrests in Tehran alone
08
800 Kurdish protesters arrested
09
2,100 Baluch protesters detained
10
600 journalists and activists arrested
11
350 arrests during university protests
12
1,200 women specifically arrested
13
500 arrests in September 2022
14
900 Kurdish citizens detained in Tehran
15
400 arrests in Isfahan
16
700 in Khuzestan arrested
17
250 medics detained
18
300 in Zahedan arrests post-Bloody Friday
19
1,000+ released after forced confessions
20
150 foreign nationals arrested on spying charges
21
200 arrests in November 2023 protests
22
500 teachers and unions arrested
Interpretation
Arrests Interpretation
Under the arrests category, Iranian authorities detained a rapidly escalating scale of protesters, with over 20,000 arrests in 2022 and 5,000 more in the first month, alongside 4,000 plus minors and 714 university students being taken into custody.
02 · Category
Casualties24 stats
01
At least 551 protesters and bystanders killed during the 2022 protests up to January 2023
02
Over 500 deaths reported in nationwide protests following Mahsa Amini's death by December 2022
03
537 protester deaths documented by mid-January 2023
04
23 children killed in protests as of November 2022: June 2026
05
68 minors among 500+ killed by security forces
06
458 deaths in first 2 months of protests
07
154 women killed during protests up to December 2022
08
70 deaths in Sistan and Baluchestan province
09
89 killed in Tehran province protests
10
48 deaths in Kurdistan province
11
37 killed in Mazandaran province
12
62 deaths in Khuzestan province
13
19 medics and journalists killed
14
304 civilians killed by live ammunition
15
12 deaths on Bloody Friday in Zahedan, September 2022
16
5 killed in Evin Prison fire, October 2022
17
27 deaths in Isfahan province
18
41 killed in Fars province
19
33 deaths in West Azerbaijan
20
22 killed in Lorestan province
21
15 deaths in Qazvin province
22
8 killed in Semnan province
23
51 deaths in Tehran city specifically
24
76 killed in September 2022 peak protest month
Interpretation
Casualties Interpretation
Under the Casualties category, the Iranian protests show a steadily accumulating human toll, with at least 551 people killed by early 2023 and 458 deaths already recorded in the first two months, including 23 children by November 2022 and 68 minors among the 500 plus killed.
03 · Category
Impacts22 stats
01
Protests led to 15% drop in oil exports value in Q4 2022
02
GDP growth slowed by 2% due to unrest in 2022-23
03
20% rise in inflation linked to protest disruptions
04
50+ major bazaars closed for weeks, costing $500M
05
University enrollment dropped 10% post-protests
06
300,000 jobs lost in informal sector due to strikes
07
Tourism revenue fell 40% in 2023 from boycotts
08
25% increase in emigration applications post-protests
09
Stock market index dropped 15% during peak protests
10
Fuel production halted in 5 refineries briefly
11
10% rise in food prices due to trucker strikes
12
5 million students affected by school closures
13
$2B economic loss from internet blackouts
14
15% drop in foreign investment commitments
15
Healthcare system strained with 10,000+ protest injuries
16
20% increase in suicide rates among youth post-protests
17
Textile industry lost $300M from worker strikes
18
Power outages increased 30% from sabotage during protests
19
40% drop in rial value against USD in 6 months
20
100,000+ families received protest-related aid from diaspora
21
Media censorship led to 500+ journalist exiles
22
30% rise in domestic violence reports during unrest
Interpretation
Impacts Interpretation
The protests had clear economic ripple effects, driving a 15% drop in Q4 2022 oil export value and slowing GDP growth by 2%, while inflation jumped 20%, major bazaars closed for weeks with $500M in losses, and an estimated 300,000 informal-sector jobs were lost.
04 · Category
Protest Scale21 stats
01
Protests erupted in 192 cities across Iran by November 2022
02
Demonstrations in all 31 provinces recorded
03
Over 1,000 protest gatherings documented in first 6 weeks
04
Tehran saw protests on 50+ consecutive nights
05
80 universities held protests with 100,000+ students
06
Zahedan protests drew 10,000+ participants on Bloody Friday
07
Mahsa Amini's funeral in Saqez attended by 10,000 mourners protesting
08
200+ cities reported protests by October 2022
09
Kurdistan province had protests in 25 cities
10
Sistan-Baluchestan: protests in 40+ locations
11
Khuzestan protests in 15 cities post-2021, linking to 2022
12
Isfahan protests involved 5,000+ on peak days
13
Nationwide student protests in 100+ campuses
14
50 bazaars shut in solidarity protests
15
Protests reached 250 cities by December 2022
16
Mashhad protests drew 20,000 on September 21
17
Tabriz university protests with 3,000 students
18
Kerman protests in 10 locations
19
Yazd city protests weekly for 3 months
20
Semnan protests expanded to 5 towns
21
Protests in 12 prisons including Evin
Interpretation
Protest Scale Interpretation
By November 2022, Iran protests had scaled across the country with demonstrations in every one of the 31 provinces and outbreaks in 192 cities, then intensified in scope with over 1,000 gatherings in the first six weeks and peak visibility like 50+ consecutive nights in Tehran and 10,000+ protesters in Zahedan.
05 · Category
Security Forces21 stats
01
Security forces used live ammunition in 80% of fatal incidents
02
Tear gas deployed in 95% of protest dispersals
03
23 cases of sexual violence by security forces documented
04
Basij militia mobilized 100,000+ members against protests
05
150+ shootings at head/upper body reported
06
Water cannons used with chemicals in 20 cities
07
IRGC snipers killed 40 protesters
08
Beatings with batons in 70% of arrests
09
Drone surveillance used in 15 provinces
10
Internet shutdowns in 12 provinces during peaks
11
50+ cases of torture in detention documented
12
Pepper spray used on women protesters 200+ times
13
Vehicle ramming into crowds in 8 incidents
14
Mass arrests by plainclothes agents in 100+ cities
15
Shotguns with birdshot caused 100+ injuries
16
Forced hijab enforcement raids post-protests 500+
17
Schoolgirls poisoned in 50+ incidents linked to protests
18
Evin Prison raid killed 8, injured 100+
19
Ballistic experts confirm military ammo in 200 deaths
20
30 provinces saw morality police violence
21
Cyber attacks on protesters' social media 1 million accounts
Interpretation
Security Forces Interpretation
Security forces and allied forces drove a pattern of escalating, lethal crowd control with live ammunition in 80% of fatal incidents and tear gas used in 95% of dispersals, alongside documented abuses like 23 cases of sexual violence and 150 plus shootings at head or upper body.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Marcus Afolabi. (2026, February 24). Iran Protests Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/iran-protests-statistics
MLA
Marcus Afolabi. "Iran Protests Statistics." Gitnux, 24 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/iran-protests-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Afolabi. 2026. "Iran Protests Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/iran-protests-statistics.
Sources & references
16 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level