Podcast Summary: From Our Own Correspondent – "IRAN: Stories of a massacre"
Hosted by BBC Radio 4 | Presented by Kate Adie | Air Date: January 31, 2026
Overview
This episode of "From Our Own Correspondent" delivers harrowing eyewitness accounts and in-depth analysis of the recent deadly crackdown on anti-government protests in Iran—a period marked by thousands of reported deaths and significant human rights abuses. It also features dispatches on election repression in Myanmar, diplomatic maneuvering between the UK and China, the impact of U.S. aid cuts on South Africa’s fight against tuberculosis, and a personal journey tracing Jewish ancestry in Lithuania. Each correspondent brings local color and testimony from those living through turbulent times, providing stories that go beyond the headlines.
Iran: Stories of a Massacre
Key Themes
- Eyewitness Testimonies & Verification: Param Jabadi (BBC Persian) pieces together stories from inside Iran, despite an ongoing internet blackout and media restrictions.
- Scale and Human Cost of Crackdown: Details the mass killing and brutalization during the protests, focusing on the trauma endured by families seeking missing relatives.
- Symbolism and Generational Loss: The death of young protesters, notably highlighting the story of 15-year-old Yalda Muhammad Khani.
- Government Narrative vs. Human Rights Reports: Contrasts official Iranian statements with statistics from independent human rights activists.
Key Segments & Insights
The Search for the Dead [02:09]
- Jabadi recounts communication with Mohammad, a protester who, after being released on medical leave, lost his cousin in the January protests.
- Mohammad and his father spent days searching for the cousin's body at the notorious Kahrizak forensic center:
“Hundreds of bodies lying on the ground in bags. Parents, siblings, children and spouses walking among them, trying to identify their loved ones. Some embracing the cold bodies of their children, grieving.” (Param Jabadi, 03:10)
- Testimonies describe security forces removing wounded protesters from hospitals only for them to return as corpses.
The Children Among the Victims [04:00]
- The presence of children and teenagers among the dead shocked even seasoned observers.
- Notable case: 15-year-old Yalda Muhammad Khani was killed by a sniper; footage and personal testimonies detail her final moments:
“She died in her mother's arms. Her uncle told me that on January 8, a sniper... fired eight live rounds at Yalda.” (Param Jabadi, 05:10)
Mass Killings and Conflicting Numbers [06:05]
- Human Rights Activists News Agency (US-based) confirms at least 6,000 deaths, investigating 17,000 more; Iranian authorities admit to 3,100, mostly calling them “security personnel or bystanders attacked by rioters.”
The Story of Puriya Mohdari (Alif), the Rapper [06:35]
- Popular rapper known for protesting the regime, killed after being shot:
“His final post was a freestyle rap... 'Enough of the bullets, enough of the slaps before the noose is tightened further. For a mother who raised a child only to watch him die under the feet of a torturer.' Those words now read like a farewell or his clarion call to the living.” (Param Jabadi, 07:03)
Memorable Quote
- On the unimaginable trauma of witness accounts:
“Imagine searching through hundreds of bodies, some brutally killed, some with open wounds, disfigured faces, some still attached to hospital equipment. Imagine finding your loved one among them—especially your child.” (Param Jabadi, 03:55)
Myanmar: Elections Amid Fear and Surveillance
Key Themes
- Sham Elections and Fear: Elections held under military rule are marred by fear, surveillance, and suppression.
- Obstruction of Reporting: Intimidation and constant monitoring of the BBC team underscore the impossibility of candid interviews.
Key Segments
Reporting Under Watch [07:54]
- BBC’s Jonathan Head describes constant surveillance, police escorts, and pervasive fear among locals:
“A jolly police officer escorted our van wherever we went... At a small noodle restaurant, the couple were visited by police officers demanding to know what we’d been doing.” (Jonathan Head, 08:30)
The Atmosphere of Oppression [10:25]
- “New laws in Myanmar criminalising any criticism of the election, and hundreds have already been charged… People who couldn’t bring themselves to express even the mildest opinion… were never going to feel that their participation... was either free or fair.” (Jonathan Head, 12:31)
UK-China Relations: A Diplomatic Reset?
Key Themes
- Diplomatic Posturing: The UK seeks to “reboot” relations with China amid global repositioning.
- Chinese Media Spin & Symbolism: China showers attention on the visit, positioning the UK as moving away from US influence.
- Balancing Economic Opportunities and Human Rights: Tensions emerge over Hong Kong and other human rights issues.
Key Segments
Beijing’s Perspective [13:19]
- “The UK is seen by many in China as a follower of the United States. The perception is Westminster simply does Washington’s bidding… So to see a British prime minister at Beijing’s door... is a moment of real prestige.” (Laura Bicker, 14:08)
Economic and Symbolic Gestures [15:23]
- “AstraZeneca has committed to a $15 billion investment… tariffs on British whisky will be halved… and that promise of visa free travel too.” (Laura Bicker, 15:43)
Human Rights Advocacy and Pushback [16:45]
- “Critics accused the Chinese government of a vast array of human rights allegations… Sir Keir Starmer said he did raise some of these sensitive issues… China… pushed back accordingly, telling the UK Prime Minister to stay out of Chinese affairs.” (Laura Bicker, 16:54)
South Africa: Tuberculosis, Trust, and Aid Cuts
Key Themes
- Local Progress, Global Setbacks: Despite scientific achievements, US aid cuts threaten vital TB research and treatment.
- Stigma and Resilience: Personal stories reveal both the social exclusion of TB survivors and the hope to overcome it.
Key Segments
The Human Face of TB [20:36]
- Sandra Canthal at the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation meets Noma Pelo, a TB survivor and community health worker:
“At the beginning of the interview she was so quiet and reserved I wondered if my recorder would capture her voice. But once she opened up, her story stuck with me… She recalled, and it was so sad because there would be one or two people dying in front of you.” (Sandra Canthal, 23:18)
Funding Crisis [21:48]
- Professor Robin Wood on sudden grant loss:
“2025 proved to be a year like no other. Wood described it as traumatic. Some of his grant funding disappeared without warning, leaving him scrambling to draw in money from other sources...” (Sandra Canthal, 21:55)
The Global Impact [24:24]
- “The impact of these cuts won’t be confined to the patients of this one nation. As Professor Becker explained, we have big questions to answer not only for South Africa, but for the world.” (Sandra Canthal, 24:50)
Lithuania: Tracing Lost Jewish Ancestors
Key Themes
- Legacy of Trauma and Erasure: Exploring Lithuanian Jewish heritage, almost entirely lost in the Holocaust.
- Personal and National Memory: Reconstructing family history amid narratives of national atonement and restoration.
Key Segments
Personal Discovery [25:42]
- Max Eastermann journeys through Lithuanian shtetls, reflecting on family silence and gradual revelations:
“By chance, seven years ago, I read Shtetl Lovesong… It was a shock to discover how thoroughly the Nazis exterminated the Litvaks. More Jews killed per head of population than in any other part of Europe—95% of them gone by 1945.” (Max Eastermann, 27:20)
Acts of Memorial [29:20]
- “To reach Mossadegh cemetery, we were rowed over by Stasis Laimikis... He’s not Jewish, he explained. So why? Ah, well, he said, I go there to pray for the souls of the Jewish dead. There’s no one else to do that.” (Max Eastermann, 29:54)
Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)
- “Hundreds of bodies lying on the ground in bags... Some embracing the cold bodies of their children, grieving.” — Param Jabadi, Iran [03:10]
- “Imagine searching through hundreds of bodies... Imagine finding your loved one among them—especially your child.” — Param Jabadi [03:55]
- “She died in her mother’s arms... a sniper... fired eight live rounds at Yalda.” — Param Jabadi [05:10]
- “At the beginning... she was so quiet and reserved I wondered if my recorder would capture her voice… She recalled... so sad because there would be one or two people dying in front of you.” — Sandra Canthal, South Africa [23:18]
- “Ah, well, he said, I go there to pray for the souls of the Jewish dead. There’s no one else to do that.” — Max Eastermann (quoting Stasis Laimikis), Lithuania [29:54]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Iran: Stories of a Massacre — [02:09] to [07:20]
- Myanmar: Election Reporting — [07:54] to [12:47]
- UK-China Relations — [13:19] to [18:28]
- South Africa: TB Research — [20:36] to [25:05]
- Lithuania: Lost Family Tree — [25:42] to [30:30]
Final Thoughts
This episode confronts the emotional and historical weight of mass violence, political repression, and the struggle for both memory and justice. Through powerful personal narratives and sharp analysis, the correspondents lay bare how political decisions, conflict, and remembrance shape lives in Iran, Myanmar, China, South Africa, and Lithuania. For listeners, the program offers crucial context and human stories that rarely surface in daily news coverage.