RASHT, Iran — Disturbing reports have emerged from the northern city of Rasht, where the Islamic Republic's security forces set fire to the historic bazaar during anti-government protests, then shot at trapped individuals as they attempted to flee the flames. This incident, detailed on January 13, 2026, through social media despite the nationwide digital blackout since January 8, is described by activists as a crime capable of shocking the world and one among hundreds inflicted on Iranians amid the intensifying unrest.