In their own voice: How Iran’s citizens documented January's massacres in Manoto documentary

What Happened

Manoto TV released a four-part Persian-language documentary, 'This Is Our Story', compiled from more than 10,000 recordings sent by ordinary Iranians. The footage documents protests that began on December 28 with bazaar merchants shutting shops in Tehran amid the rial's collapse and escalated to mass demonstrations across Tehran, Isfahan, Mashhad, and other cities, reaching their most violent point on January 8 and 9. The documentary shows economic grievances shifting into anti-regime chants, including calls for the return of the Pahlavi dynasty and 'Javid shah', and captures gunfire, running, and confusion as internet connectivity collapsed. At the UN General Assembly, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Fox News that Iran published identification numbers and death certificates for around 3,000 people killed during the unrest, including some 500 security and police forces, and denied higher figures, blaming armed 'instigators' and US and Israeli encouragement. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei accused protesters of acting as 'mercenaries for foreigners'. Amnesty International said the communications shutdown severely hindered the ability of families, journalists, and human rights organizations to determine what was happening and later concluded that authorities used the shutdown while carrying out mass unlawful killings. Former Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi had called for Iranians to pour into the streets at 8 p.m. on the evening when large crowds emerged and the Islamic Republic began cutting Iran off from the outside world.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The documentary provides a citizen-sourced counter-narrative to the official Iranian account of the December-January uprising, challenging state casualty figures and the framing of protesters as foreign-backed rioters. By compiling footage recorded during an internet blackout, it preserves evidence that could be used in future accountability efforts and documents a moment when economic protests transformed into a direct legitimacy crisis for the Islamic Republic, including open calls for Khamenei's fall and the return of the Pahlavi dynasty.

Watch For

Watch whether Iranian authorities formally respond to the documentary or attempt to discredit its footage, whether Amnesty International or other rights groups issue follow-up findings based on the recordings, and whether the footage is cited in international human rights mechanisms or UN proceedings. Also monitor whether the 40-day mourning cycles or anniversaries of the January 8-9 killings produce renewed demonstrations or further documentation efforts.