Nazanin Zahra Salehi.

Their life

Nazanin Zahra Salehi was a 13-year-old girl from Kermanshah, Iran, whose life was tragically cut short during the early days of the nationwide protests in January 2026. An orphan who had lost both of her parents and was being raised by her aunt, Nazanin was in a public park when she was shot and killed by government security forces confronting the crowds. Her death became one of the many civilian casualties that highlighted the severity of the state’s crackdown on demonstrators.

Nazanin Zahra Salehi was a young adolescent from the Kurdish community in Kermanshah, Iran. Having lost both of her parents years earlier, she lived under the care and guardianship of her aunt. On January 9, 2026, amid widespread anti-government protests that had spread across much of the country, Nazanin was in a public park on Keyhanshahr Boulevard when clashes broke out between protesters and state security forces.

During these confrontations, Iranian government forces reportedly used live ammunition against civilians. Nazanin was shot at close range and killed instantly, becoming one of the youngest victims of the protest violence. Her funeral was held two days later at Bagh-e Ferdows Cemetery in Kermanshah, where mourners gathered to honor her memory. Her death has been cited by human rights organizations as part of the larger toll of civilian lives lost in the crackdown, particularly among women and children.

How they died

Nazanin Zahra Salehi was killed during nationwide protests in Iran when government military-security forces opened fire on unarmed demonstrators in the city of Kermanshah. She was present in a public park near Keyhanshahr Boulevard when she was shot at close range by security forces.

Nazanin Zahra Salehi died after being shot at close range by Iranian military-security forces while she was present in a public park during protests in Kermanshah. The use of live ammunition against unarmed demonstrators was part of a lethal crackdown on the nationwide protests that began in late December 2025, resulting in numerous civilian deaths including children and adolescents. Security forces targeted crowds with direct gunfire, and Nazanin’s fatal injury was sustained in this context.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Nazanin Zahra Salehi., and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources