Setareh has not slept for days, her voice trembling as she describes life in Tehran one month into a spiraling conflict that has transformed the city into a shell of its former self. The streets are quiet, shops shuttered, and the once-bustling workplaces where young Iranians gathered have fallen silent. She speaks in hushed tones, afraid even over a secure line that her words could be traced. Before the escalation, her days revolved around work, friendship, and small joys — now, she survives on dwindling supplies and the anxiety of air raid sirens. "I haven't slept for days," she says, repeating the phrase like a mantra of exhaustion and fear. Her story is echoed across Iran, where civilians face power cuts, disrupted communications, and the constant threat of strikes.
The conflict, which began after a surprise regional offensive, has entered its fourth week with no ceasefire in sight. Civilian infrastructure, including power grids and water facilities, has been damaged in multiple cities. Hospitals report shortages of medicine and blood supplies, while emergency crews struggle to respond amid fuel rationing and blocked roads. The Iranian government has imposed strict information controls, blocking social media platforms and warning citizens against sharing unapproved reports. Despite this, testimonies from Tehran, Isfahan, and Mashhad describe a population pushed to the edge — families sleeping in basements, parents pulling children from school, and workers left unpaid as businesses collapse. One man in Shiraz said, "We are not soldiers, but we are the ones paying the price." International aid agencies have called for humanitarian corridors, but access remains limited.
When Setareh says she hasn't slept for days, it is not just about exhaustion — it is about living under a state of perpetual dread engineered by a government that silences its people as tightly as it seals its borders. Her inability to name her job, her city, even her real name, reveals the depth of repression that outlives any single conflict. This is not merely a war with bombs and blackouts, but one where fear is the most carefully distributed weapon.
