In the quiet aftermath of intense anti-government protests, teachers find themselves weeping during recess as they recall students lost. College campuses see final exams boycotted in solemn remembrance of fallen classmates. Across the country, young men and women grapple with the heavy burden of survivor’s guilt.
Mariam, a 54-year-old designer, shared her constant fear each time her teenage son leaves home, haunted by the memory of his friends and schoolmates killed during the recent unrest.
“Honestly, we are not doing well at all,” she confessed. “I’ve never witnessed such widespread grief and instability. We live in constant fear, never knowing what the next hour will bring.” Like many others interviewed for this piece, Mariam chose to use only her first name, fearing repercussions.
The visible street protests against Iran’s authoritarian clerical rulers may have ceased, but a deep-seated anger towards the government and an overwhelming anxiety about the future continue to permeate every aspect of Iranian life. For many, nothing feels normal anymore.
The regime’s ongoing campaign of arrests, targeting even prominent reformist figures, only intensifies the feeling that this confrontation is far from over.
Iran’s economy, already suffering under international sanctions and rampant corruption, has been dealt further blows since the uprising began in late December with strikes in Tehran’s bustling bazaar. The national currency is in free fall, and government-imposed internet shutdowns have severely crippled commerce.
Teachers report that both they and their students are deeply traumatized. Nafiseh, a 35-year-old high school teacher in Tehran, described how she and her colleagues often break down in tears during recess, discussing the recent events.
“My students are incredibly distracted and terrified,” she added. “The slightest sound of an ambulance siren or an airplane makes them tremble with fear.”
Iran’s government insists that the violence was initiated by ‘terrorist cells’ connected to the United States and Israel. Officials claim these armed operatives infiltrated peaceful demonstrations, justifying the state’s aggressive military response, and are responsible for many protester deaths.
However, numerous videos and images, independently verified, clearly document the government’s brutal tactics, including security forces in uniform and on motorcycles firing directly into crowds of unarmed protesters.
The government officially reported approximately 3,400 deaths, including 200 children and minors, 100 college students, and at least 500 security personnel.
A billboard depicting Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the current supreme leader, beside the Islamic Republic’s founding leader, in Tehran, Iran, last month. (Photo credit: Vahid Salemi/Associated Press)
Conversely, human rights organizations like U.S.-based HRANA report at least 7,000 protester fatalities, with figures expected to climb as more deaths are confirmed.
The sheer scale of these losses, many occurring over just three nights in early January, marks the deadliest period of unrest in Iran’s modern history, leaving countless Iranians in shock and disbelief.
In response, some therapists are now offering free online workshops to help citizens cope with the widespread trauma.
Psychologists note that their patients exhibit chronic anxiety, profound anger, and a deep-seated mistrust.
“The emotional climate in Iran has dramatically shifted in recent weeks,” Dr. Bita Bavadi, a Tehran-based psychologist, wrote in an email. “In my clinical practice, I see an intense blend of anger, fear, helplessness, and unresolved collective grief.”
Adding another layer of dread is the looming threat of conflict with the United States, which has stationed naval warships in close proximity to Iranian waters.
President Trump has indicated a willingness to consider military strikes if Iran fails to agree to a deal curbing its nuclear program and missile capabilities. He has also voiced support for regime change in Iran.
Iranians, whether they support or oppose the current government, openly discuss the possibility of a U.S.-led war and question whether the clerical regime and its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, could survive such a confrontation.
“The people’s priorities fundamentally differ from those of their rulers,” Mohamad Renany, a cleric who has publicly criticized the government’s crackdowns, stated on social media.
“When citizens prioritize basic survival, like bread, while the regime prioritizes political ideologies and rigid interpretations of its beliefs, a severe clash between the people and the state becomes inevitable,” he elaborated.
Some Iranians, consumed by anger and despair over internal change, even express a desire for U.S. military intervention, hoping it might liberate them from the current regime.
Others staunchly oppose war, fearing it would trigger further instability, displacement, and violence, drawing parallels to the disastrous consequences of previous U.S. military actions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya.
Military personnel gathered at a rally earlier this month in Tehran, commemorating the anniversary of the Islamic revolution. (Photo credit: Vahid Salemi/Associated Press)
Kamran, a 49-year-old businessman, admitted that the brutal violence he witnessed during the protests had completely reshaped his perspective on war.
“After the massacre, many of us feel like prey at the mercy of a predator, not citizens governed by a state,” he explained. “So we look to the sky, desperately hoping bombs will bring an end to them, and Iran will finally be free.”
Elaheh, a 52-year-old from Tehran, conveyed in an interview that despite her opposition to the clerical rulers, she is against foreign military interference, believing that democracy cannot be bombed into existence.
“We already have enough hardships,” she stated. “We cannot bear a war that could destroy our infrastructure, fragment our nation, and lead to even more bloodshed.”
Reza Alefnasb, head of the e-commerce workers’ union, recently informed Iranian media that online businesses have seen an 80 percent drop in income. He added that ongoing internet disruptions and the uncertainty of war are causing Iranians to drastically cut back on non-essential spending.
Sattar Hashemi, the telecommunications minister, told Iranian media last week that the digital business sector alone is losing $3 million daily, while the national economy as a whole is bleeding $35 million per day since the uprising began.
Many small business owners specializing in crafts, baking, fashion, and music turned to social media last week, pleading for purchases to keep their livelihoods afloat. Some noted they had paused work out of respect for the slain protesters, but acknowledged this was no longer sustainable.
Reza Badri, an accountant at a furniture store, shared in an interview that sales have nearly halted for the past month, leading owners to lay off staff and downsize production. He posted on social media, seeking contact with exporters outside Iran.
“The senseless killing of so many of my countrymen, many my own age, coupled with soaring prices, is exhausting us mentally, emotionally, and physically,” Mr. Badri said.
Sephideh, 35, an English teacher in Tehran, recounted how her virtual classes have been completely canceled due to internet outages, leaving her without income for over a month.
“I cry almost every day and feel utterly vulnerable,” she said. “Yet, at the same time, I also feel an intense anger.”