Reports and videos from Iranian Kurdistan indicate that on Tuesday, February 17, thousands gathered at the graves of victims of the January protests across several cities — including Abdanan, Malekshahi, Eslamabad-e Gharb, Kermanshah, Khorramabad, and Kuhdasht — to mark the 40th day since their deaths. Participants commemorated the victims of the large-scale killings by security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran and chanted slogans against the government and its Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
According to incoming information and released footage, Iranian military-security forces opened fire in Abdanan toward attendees at the memorial ceremony for Alireza Seydi. It is also reported that security forces positioned a military truck directly in front of the cemetery entrance to prevent people from entering or leaving.
Critical Situation in Abdanan
Homes belonging to the mother of Yousef Nazari — associated with the Abdanan protests — and to Pejhar Maleki, a political activist from Abdanan living in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, were reportedly attacked again by armed forces loyal to the government.
In addition to Nazari’s family home, the residences of two relatives — Nasrollah Hajizadeh and Hamid Lotfi — were also targeted.
Reports indicate that security forces broke windows and doors, fired toward residents, and arrested at least four citizens in Abdanan.
The January 2026 protests took on a radical and overtly political character after an uprising in Malekshahi, quickly spreading to many cities across Kurdistan and other parts of Iran. On January 8 and 9, security forces reportedly opened fire on demonstrators, and according to some reports, tens of thousands of citizens were killed during those two days.
