'He said to her: 'You\'re no longer my sister', and she told him to go to hell.'This argument between a man and his sister in a city near Tehran - witnessed and recounted by one of their relatives - gives a telling insight into the painful rows erupting among families and friends as US and Israeli strikes continue.
The relative, who we are calling Sina, says that when his family recently got together at his grandmother's house, emotions quickly exploded, exposing stark divisions. His uncle, a member of the Basij - a volunteer militia often deployed to suppress dissent in Iran - refused to even greet his own sister, who is opposed to the ruling regime. After their exchange, the uncle was 'very quiet… and left early', Sina says.
He and other young Iranians have described emotional scenes as rifts open up over the war. Even among those opposed to the government, there are deep divisions over whether the war will help or hinder attempts to bring about change.
Despite the government-imposed internet blackout, the BBC has been able to maintain contact with some of the few Iranians who have found ways to remain online. Iranians can be sent to prison for speaking to certain international media, yet over the month-long war, these contacts have been sharing information through intermittent text messages and occasional voice calls.
Their initial responses of shock and fear have given way to attempts to adapt, switching locations and changing routines. They describe details of lives affected by the war; practicing yoga despite the sounds of explosions, eating birthday cake alone, and venturing out to near-empty coffee shops. In some surprisingly personal notes, they have shared details about how the conflict is affecting their relationships. All names in this article have been changed.
As Iranians celebrated Nowruz, the Persian New Year festival marking the spring equinox, families gathered together. Sina, in his 20s, opposes the clerical establishment and supports the Israeli and US air strikes, believing they could aid in overthrowing the regime. He notes the surprise of family members when his uncle, who had previously avoided Nowruz gatherings due to political disagreements, attended this year.
However, tensions flared when discussions turned political, with family waiting to see if unity could prevail amidst division. Together, they reflect the complexities of a nation on the precipice of change while grappling with personal loyalties and ideological divides brought forth by the ongoing war.
The relative, who we are calling Sina, says that when his family recently got together at his grandmother's house, emotions quickly exploded, exposing stark divisions. His uncle, a member of the Basij - a volunteer militia often deployed to suppress dissent in Iran - refused to even greet his own sister, who is opposed to the ruling regime. After their exchange, the uncle was 'very quiet… and left early', Sina says.
He and other young Iranians have described emotional scenes as rifts open up over the war. Even among those opposed to the government, there are deep divisions over whether the war will help or hinder attempts to bring about change.
Despite the government-imposed internet blackout, the BBC has been able to maintain contact with some of the few Iranians who have found ways to remain online. Iranians can be sent to prison for speaking to certain international media, yet over the month-long war, these contacts have been sharing information through intermittent text messages and occasional voice calls.
Their initial responses of shock and fear have given way to attempts to adapt, switching locations and changing routines. They describe details of lives affected by the war; practicing yoga despite the sounds of explosions, eating birthday cake alone, and venturing out to near-empty coffee shops. In some surprisingly personal notes, they have shared details about how the conflict is affecting their relationships. All names in this article have been changed.
As Iranians celebrated Nowruz, the Persian New Year festival marking the spring equinox, families gathered together. Sina, in his 20s, opposes the clerical establishment and supports the Israeli and US air strikes, believing they could aid in overthrowing the regime. He notes the surprise of family members when his uncle, who had previously avoided Nowruz gatherings due to political disagreements, attended this year.
However, tensions flared when discussions turned political, with family waiting to see if unity could prevail amidst division. Together, they reflect the complexities of a nation on the precipice of change while grappling with personal loyalties and ideological divides brought forth by the ongoing war.
