Latest news with #Shirin


San Francisco Chronicle
25-06-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
A 12-day war followed by a sudden ceasefire. Some Iranians now wonder what comes next
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — For many Iranians it was a lightning sequence of events: A 12-day war with Israel and a sudden, U.S.-brokered ceasefire. Now, as they return to their neighborhoods deeply shaken by Israeli air assaults, fears mount over what the country's theocracy may do next. Human rights advocates have already warned that Iran's government is ramping up executions of dissidents and political prisoners. Since Israel launched strikes on June 13, targeting Iran's nuclear program and top military officials, Tehran has said that six people were executed on charges of spying for Israel — three of them on Wednesday alone. Four Iranians recounted to The Associated Press that they believe only a minority in the Islamic Republic still firmly supports its leadership. They said they are concerned the fallout from Israel's attack will derail any momentum for change in the country's clerical rule, in place since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The four spoke on condition of anonymity or agreeing that only their first names be used over fears of reprisals. 'We don't know what will happen," said Shirin, a 49-year-old living in northern Tehran, the Iranian capital. She speculated that the authorities could 'take out all of their anger' at the losses in the war on ordinary Iranians. Fear of repression grows Nooshin, a 44-year-old Tehran housewife, said the government's playbook of clamping down amid internal or external pressure had already started when U.S. President Donald Trump announced a truce between Iran and Israel on Tuesday. 'Basically, after every crisis, the Iranian regime has a habit of punishing its own people, and this time, it will probably get many dissidents into trouble,' she said. The fast-tracking of several death sentence cases in recent days has sparked fears from activists that an even deadlier wave of executions could take place now that the conflict is over, similar to what followed Iran's 1980s war with Iraq. 'After the ceasefire with Israel, the Islamic Republic needs more repression to cover up military failures, prevent protests, and ensure its continued survival," Mahmood Amiry Moghaddam, the director of the Norway-based Iran Human Rights Organization, said Wednesday. 'Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of prisoners might be at risk of executions' in the coming weeks, he added. Iranian officials, including Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, defended the government's actions and lauded what he described as the unity of Iranians. 'Our people showed that they are resolute in their defense of national security and sovereignty,' he told Al Jazeera English on Wednesday. Information blackout Days of on-and-off internet connectivity have left the population of more than 80 million people scrambling to fill in the gaps of Iranian state broadcasts. Alongside revolutionary and Islamic slogans, state media has tried to drum up a rally-behind-the-flag message, echoing past similar efforts during the Iran-Iraq war. Anchors signed off broadcasts by reciting a famous line of nationalist poetry. Elias Hazrati, a state media official considered close to Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, made a rare acknowledgment of deep political and social divisions in the country while calling for solidarity against foreign threats. But Shirin, from northern Tehran, said she feared there were "horrible things the government is doing right now that we have no clue about and won't know until they want us to know.' Some are optimistic Mahshid, who lives in the northwestern city of Qazvin, said she was hopeful about what the end of the war would bring and that she expects the authorities' recent leniency on enforcing the mandatory headscarf, or hijab, will remain in place. 'I feel that after emotions subside, the government will be tolerant of people on issues such as the hijab and personal freedoms,' the 45-year-old woman said. Another Tehran resident, an academic researcher who asked not to be identified by name, echoed that sentiment. He said that it was less likely authorities would be able to roll back other changes that have swept the country following years of unrest and protests against the law on the women's headscarf. 'It's unlikely the Islamic Republic will become more hard-line on social issues," he said. "Because of Israel's attacks, they've been weakened,' he said of the authorities, adding that there have been rumors about easing restrictions on social media platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram in the coming days. Same old power shortages The researcher said Israel had 'also been targeting a lot of non-military targets' around the capital. He said an airstrike near Midan-e Tajrish, a central square surrounded by upscale Tehran areas, had knocked out water supplies for at least a couple of days in the nearby neighborhoods. Power shortages, however, were already a part of everyday life before the war — a result of years of economic mismanagement in the country that has fueled calls for change. 'The electricity cuts for about two hours most days of the week, like we did before the war,' he said. Amid the war, supporters of Iran's clerical establishment have also tried to align themselves with what he called more 'nationalist' parts of society, without really addressing popular calls for deep reforms. 'These are the people you see demonstrating in the streets, saying we have been victorious in this war,' he said. 'But most people, more than half of the country, were people who didn't want this war.'


Winnipeg Free Press
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
A 12-day war followed by a sudden ceasefire. Some Iranians now wonder what comes next
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — For many Iranians it was a lightning sequence of events: A 12-day war with Israel and a sudden, U.S.-brokered ceasefire. Now, as they return to their neighborhoods deeply shaken by Israeli air assaults, fears mount over what the country's theocracy may do next. Human rights advocates have already warned that Iran's government is ramping up executions of dissidents and political prisoners. Since Israel launched strikes on June 13, targeting Iran's nuclear program and top military officials, Tehran has said that six people were executed on charges of spying for Israel — three of them on Wednesday alone. Four Iranians recounted to The Associated Press that they believe only a minority in the Islamic Republic still firmly supports its leadership. They said they are concerned the fallout from Israel's attack will derail any momentum for change in the country's clerical rule, in place since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The four spoke on condition of anonymity or agreeing that only their first names be used over fears of reprisals. 'We don't know what will happen,' said Shirin, a 49-year-old living in northern Tehran, the Iranian capital. She speculated that the authorities could 'take out all of their anger' at the losses in the war on ordinary Iranians. Fear of repression grows Nooshin, a 44-year-old Tehran housewife, said the government's playbook of clamping down amid internal or external pressure had already started when U.S. President Donald Trump announced a truce between Iran and Israel on Tuesday. 'Basically, after every crisis, the Iranian regime has a habit of punishing its own people, and this time, it will probably get many dissidents into trouble,' she said. The fast-tracking of several death sentence cases in recent days has sparked fears from activists that an even deadlier wave of executions could take place now that the conflict is over, similar to what followed Iran's 1980s war with Iraq. 'After the ceasefire with Israel, the Islamic Republic needs more repression to cover up military failures, prevent protests, and ensure its continued survival,' Mahmood Amiry Moghaddam, the director of the Norway-based Iran Human Rights Organization, said Wednesday. 'Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of prisoners might be at risk of executions' in the coming weeks, he added. Iranian officials, including Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, defended the government's actions and lauded what he described as the unity of Iranians. 'Our people showed that they are resolute in their defense of national security and sovereignty,' he told Al Jazeera English on Wednesday. Information blackout Days of on-and-off internet connectivity have left the population of more than 80 million people scrambling to fill in the gaps of Iranian state broadcasts. Alongside revolutionary and Islamic slogans, state media has tried to drum up a rally-behind-the-flag message, echoing past similar efforts during the Iran-Iraq war. Anchors signed off broadcasts by reciting a famous line of nationalist poetry. Elias Hazrati, a state media official considered close to Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, made a rare acknowledgment of deep political and social divisions in the country while calling for solidarity against foreign threats. But Shirin, from northern Tehran, said she feared there were 'horrible things the government is doing right now that we have no clue about and won't know until they want us to know.' Some are optimistic Mahshid, who lives in the northwestern city of Qazvin, said she was hopeful about what the end of the war would bring and that she expects the authorities' recent leniency on enforcing the mandatory headscarf, or hijab, will remain in place. 'I feel that after emotions subside, the government will be tolerant of people on issues such as the hijab and personal freedoms,' the 45-year-old woman said. Another Tehran resident, an academic researcher who asked not to be identified by name, echoed that sentiment. He said that it was less likely authorities would be able to roll back other changes that have swept the country following years of unrest and protests against the law on the women's headscarf. 'It's unlikely the Islamic Republic will become more hard-line on social issues,' he said. 'Because of Israel's attacks, they've been weakened,' he said of the authorities, adding that there have been rumors about easing restrictions on social media platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram in the coming days. Same old power shortages The researcher said Israel had 'also been targeting a lot of non-military targets' around the capital. He said an airstrike near Midan-e Tajrish, a central square surrounded by upscale Tehran areas, had knocked out water supplies for at least a couple of days in the nearby neighborhoods. Power shortages, however, were already a part of everyday life before the war — a result of years of economic mismanagement in the country that has fueled calls for change. 'The electricity cuts for about two hours most days of the week, like we did before the war,' he said. Amid the war, supporters of Iran's clerical establishment have also tried to align themselves with what he called more 'nationalist' parts of society, without really addressing popular calls for deep reforms. 'These are the people you see demonstrating in the streets, saying we have been victorious in this war,' he said. 'But most people, more than half of the country, were people who didn't want this war.'


The Hill
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
A 12-day war followed by a sudden ceasefire. Some Iranians now wonder what comes next
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — For many Iranians it was a lightning sequence of events: A 12-day war with Israel and a sudden, U.S.-brokered ceasefire. Now, as they return to their neighborhoods deeply shaken by Israeli air assaults, fears mount over what the country's theocracy may do next. Human rights advocates have already warned that Iran's government is ramping up executions of dissidents and political prisoners. Since Israel launched strikes on June 13, targeting Iran's nuclear program and top military officials, Tehran has said that six people were executed on charges of spying for Israel — three of them on Wednesday alone. Four Iranians recounted to The Associated Press that they believe only a minority in the Islamic Republic still firmly supports its leadership. They said they are concerned the fallout from Israel's attack will derail any momentum for change in the country's clerical rule, in place since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The four spoke on condition of anonymity or agreeing that only their first names be used over fears of reprisals. 'We don't know what will happen,' said Shirin, a 49-year-old living in northern Tehran, the Iranian capital. She speculated that the authorities could 'take out all of their anger' at the losses in the war on ordinary Iranians. Nooshin, a 44-year-old Tehran housewife, said the government's playbook of clamping down amid internal or external pressure had already started when U.S. President Donald Trump announced a truce between Iran and Israel on Tuesday. 'Basically, after every crisis, the Iranian regime has a habit of punishing its own people, and this time, it will probably get many dissidents into trouble,' she said. The fast-tracking of several death sentence cases in recent days has sparked fears from activists that an even deadlier wave of executions could take place now that the conflict is over, similar to what followed Iran's 1980s war with Iraq. 'After the ceasefire with Israel, the Islamic Republic needs more repression to cover up military failures, prevent protests, and ensure its continued survival,' Mahmood Amiry Moghaddam, the director of the Norway-based Iran Human Rights Organization, said Wednesday. 'Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of prisoners might be at risk of executions' in the coming weeks, he added. Iranian officials, including Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, defended the government's actions and lauded what he described as the unity of Iranians. 'Our people showed that they are resolute in their defense of national security and sovereignty,' he told Al Jazeera English on Wednesday. Days of on-and-off internet connectivity have left the population of more than 80 million people scrambling to fill in the gaps of Iranian state broadcasts. Alongside revolutionary and Islamic slogans, state media has tried to drum up a rally-behind-the-flag message, echoing past similar efforts during the Iran-Iraq war. Anchors signed off broadcasts by reciting a famous line of nationalist poetry. Elias Hazrati, a state media official considered close to Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, made a rare acknowledgment of deep political and social divisions in the country while calling for solidarity against foreign threats. But Shirin, from northern Tehran, said she feared there were 'horrible things the government is doing right now that we have no clue about and won't know until they want us to know.' Mahshid, who lives in the northwestern city of Qazvin, said she was hopeful about what the end of the war would bring and that she expects the authorities' recent leniency on enforcing the mandatory headscarf, or hijab, will remain in place. 'I feel that after emotions subside, the government will be tolerant of people on issues such as the hijab and personal freedoms,' the 45-year-old woman said. Another Tehran resident, an academic researcher who asked not to be identified by name, echoed that sentiment. He said that it was less likely authorities would be able to roll back other changes that have swept the country following years of unrest and protests against the law on the women's headscarf. 'It's unlikely the Islamic Republic will become more hard-line on social issues,' he said. 'Because of Israel's attacks, they've been weakened,' he said of the authorities, adding that there have been rumors about easing restrictions on social media platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram in the coming days. The researcher said Israel had 'also been targeting a lot of non-military targets' around the capital. He said an airstrike near Midan-e Tajrish, a central square surrounded by upscale Tehran areas, had knocked out water supplies for at least a couple of days in the nearby neighborhoods. Power shortages, however, were already a part of everyday life before the war — a result of years of economic mismanagement in the country that has fueled calls for change. 'The electricity cuts for about two hours most days of the week, like we did before the war,' he said. Amid the war, supporters of Iran's clerical establishment have also tried to align themselves with what he called more 'nationalist' parts of society, without really addressing popular calls for deep reforms. 'These are the people you see demonstrating in the streets, saying we have been victorious in this war,' he said. 'But most people, more than half of the country, were people who didn't want this war.'


The Guardian
24-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
‘A pause before something worse': Iranians wary of what future holds
People from the Tehran area said the hours of darkness before Donald Trump's ceasefire took hold were the most terrifying of the war as Israel intensified its bombardment. 'We felt jets flying so low above our apartment that the windows shook. The bombing intensified to a level I've never experienced before. People ran into the streets, terrified and panicking,' said Mariam, 39, from the village of Kordan, about 30 miles (50km) north-west of the capital. Like everyone quoted in this article, she chose to use a pseudonym. When residents ventured out in the streets after the sun rose on Tuesday, their first question was what kind of country the bombers had left in their wake. 'There's a silence now, like a pause in breath before something worse,' Mariam said. 'We live in a nightmare that won't end. I'm scared, and I don't know what tomorrow will bring. I don't know if the war will really end.' Most of the Iranians the Guardian talked to were pessimistic, fearing the regime would use the war as a pretext for rolling back some of the liberties carved out by the female-led resistance of the past few years. 'We had neutralised the ideology of these people. They were culturally and in everyday life bent to our will,' said Shirin, a middle-aged Tehrani woman. She was referring to the fact that before the war the regime's enforcers had for the most part given up making women who did not want to wear the hijab. The regime had largely retreated from the private sphere of ordinary Iranians. Shirin was worried it would now return with a vengeance. 'They now can become as powerful as they were 10 years ago,' she said. In the course of the war, Trump and the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, made direct appeals to the Iranian people to rise up against their rulers. Such appeals mostly fell flat, however, even among ardent opponents of Iran's theocratic establishment. For many Iranians, they were just two more angry old men telling them what to do. 'I do not trust Trump. He changes his mind every few seconds. We Iranians deserve better than people like him, Khamenei and Netanyahu who are deciding our fates,' said Nazanin, 28, a Tehrani movie producer. 'The whole time we were screaming that we didn't ask for this war. 'Today they're going to parade on the streets and all the people you will see in the victory parade are just pro-regime hardliners. Now we will suffer the consequences because a wounded regime will pounce on us like prey.' The authorities staged a 'victory celebration' in the capital's Enghelab or Revolution Square on Tuesday night. Posters and online propaganda drew in part on Persian folklore, and the image of Arash Kamangir or Arash the Archer, a mythic hero who shot an arrow with superhuman strength. Where it landed marked the border with a hostile neighbour. Most Tehranis also predicted the regime would try to galvanise support through the special significance given to the holy month of Muharram, which begins on Sunday, with its climax falling on its tenth day, Ashura, which in Shia Islam is a day of remembrance and celebration of martyrdom. 'The regime is expected to intensify its repression in various areas, including stricter enforcement of mandatory hijab, following the ceasefire,' Mahdi, 42, from Tehran said. 'During the month of Muharram, the government will likely emphasise the culture of martyrdom even more.' 'The regime will use it for its political gains and power,' he said. Saeed, 23, a student leader and activist, pointed to Tuesday's festivities and the air of triumphalism the authorities were trying to spread. 'The Islamic Republic is already acting like it won the war, like the whole thing was just a performance for Khamenei, Netanyahu, and Trump to inflate their egos,' he he said. Unlike most people the Guardian spoke to, he did at least see a possible upside for ordinary people. 'The ceasefire gave us a bit of hope but also a lot to think about,' he said. 'The Islamic Republic's shallow propaganda about 'security' has collapsed. The idea that they've always used as an excuse to suppress us is now broken. 'One possible gain from all this might be the space to build a real third way, something beyond just Islamic Republic loyalists or monarchists, or regime change activists who ignored us when we needed support most. 'Maybe we can create movements that actually care about us, and about Iran as a whole without having to choose between fascism and Islamo-fascism. But I also know from history that it will be hard.'


The National
21-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
'Worst internet shutdown': Iranians abroad fear for loved ones amid blackout back home
It has been a week of dreading and despair for Shirin, a young Iranian woman living in Europe. She has not heard from her family in Iran for five days, after the government disconnected phone and internet services over cybersecurity threats sparked by the war with Israel. The many text messages Shirin sends each day go unanswered. Her calls are cut off after one ring and WhatsApp threads remain marked with a disheartening single tick – meaning recent messages have not been delivered. More than 400 people have been killed and 3,500 injured in Iran since Israel began its attacks on June 13, Iranian state media has reported. In Israel, 24 civilians have been killed by Iranian missile attacks, according to local authorities. The blackout imposed earlier in the week for the more than 90 million people of Iran has left civilians in the dark about when and where the next Israeli strike might occur. Activists describe the move as a form of psychological warfare in a country all too familiar with state-imposed information controls and internet shutdowns during times of unrest. 'It's like waiting outside an operating room, not knowing anything about how the surgery is going,' said Shirin. 'The last thing my dad told me before the shutdown was, 'Don't worry, stay where you are and go on with your life. It's all going to be OK.' But, of course, we're completely panicked.' She said the last time such an internet shutdown occurred was during the Woman, Life, Freedom protests in 2022. Those were among the most significant political uprisings in Iran 's recent history, when millions demanded an end to gender-based discrimination. The protests were met with violent repression by authorities. Shirin is far from alone. Around the world, Iranians are desperately waiting for any news that their loved ones back home are safe, as deadly missile exchanges between Iran and Israel have escalated since June 13, following strikes Israel claimed were aimed at halting Tehran's nuclear programme. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this week that the change or fall of Iran's leadership was not a goal of Israel's attacks, but could be a result. Cyber attacks have surged since the conflict began, aimed at Iranian banks and state television networks. On Wednesday, hackers briefly took control of the national TV news channel and broadcast a message calling on people to hold protests, which the network quickly dismissed as an 'irrelevant message'. Prominent internet monitoring organisation NetBlocks said the country had faced significant disruptions since the conflict started. On Saturday, it said internet services partially resumed after a 62-hour, government-imposed shutdown. These blackouts severely 'limit the public's ability to express political viewpoints, communicate freely and follow safety alerts amid continuing conflict with Israel", the group said. While Iran blocks access to many foreign websites, social media and messaging apps, a wider range of websites could not be reached this week. The slowdown has also reportedly disrupted tools such as virtual private networks (VPNs), which many rely on to access international content. 'This was the worst internet shutdown we've ever experienced in Iran,' Amir Rashidi, director of cybersecurity and digital rights at Miaan Group. 'Usually, they block access from inside the country to the outside. But in this case, we had no access both ways. We have never had this kind of shutdown before. It meant we had zero visibility into what was happening inside the country.' He said VPNs were restricted and phone calls from outside Iran were completely blocked, although calls within the country still worked. 'There's been some improvement starting today [June 21],' he added. 'But there's still fear it could come back at any time.' There is currently a 'white-listing' system in place, with only a limited number of websites accessible both inside and outside Iran. 'It's unclear what the exact policy is or how these websites are chosen,' he said. 'Concerning' pattern Rights organisations have denounced the move to restrict internet access as part of a concerning trend. 'We are deeply worried about the nature and scale of the shutdown, which only adds to the distress of people already grappling with … uncertainty,' Hussein Baoumi, the Middle East and North Africa deputy regional director at Amnesty International, told The National. 'Restricting access to platforms like WhatsApp and other communication tools prevents people from obtaining potentially life-saving information, including warnings about bombings.' Iranian authorities have cut off internet access at other critical periods in the past. In 2019, Tehran completely shut down access for six days during nationwide protests that reportedly led to the deaths of more than 100 people amid a crackdown by security forces. 'The shutdown also serves to control what can be shared on social media, particularly anything that might challenge the government. We've raised concerns about this pattern in the past,' said Mr Baoumi. Abbas, another Iranian living in Europe, said blackouts occurred every time there was unrest in the country. For him, this reveals the government's true intentions behind the latest restrictions. 'As soon as there are protests, they cut the internet so people can't communicate, film or share information. They cut it to limit communication with the Iranian diaspora, to block access to information from abroad,' he said. 'They cut it because they're afraid of the people."