Nasim Pouraqaei
Gunshot wound to the neck caused by live ammunition
Nasim Pouraqaei was killed by a direct gunshot to the neck fired by Iranian security forces during the suppression of protests in Tehran. The shooting occurred in the Sadeghieh area, where security forces were conducting a violent crackdown. The injury was fatal, and she died instantly at the scene.
Biography
Nasim Pouraqaei was a 44-year-old mechanical engineer, a wife, and the mother of two children who lived in Tehran. She was killed during the nationwide protests in early January 2026 when Iranian security forces opened fire on demonstrators in the Sadeghieh area of the city. Her death occurred amid a violent crackdown in which civilians were shot with live ammunition.
Nasim Pouraqaei was a trained mechanical engineer and a mother raising two children in Tehran. During the wave of nationwide protests that spread across Iran in early January 2026, she was present in the Sadeghieh district of Tehran, an area that saw heavy security deployment and violent suppression of demonstrators.
On January 8–9, 2026, Iranian security forces fired live ammunition at civilians in the area. Nasim was struck by a bullet to the neck and died instantly. According to reports, authorities initially prevented the transfer of her body, forcing her husband to carry her lifeless body for more than an hour before it was finally taken away. Her killing has been cited as one of many examples of lethal force used against unarmed civilians during the protests.
Sources & References
Four women, one aged 15, killed during protests in Iran1 hengaw.net Open source
Nasim Pouraqaei, a 44-year-old mechanical engineer and mother of two, was shot dead on January 8, 2026, during public protests in Tehran.2 instagram.com Open source