Chapter 10: The Weight of Being Noticed

Fact 1
On January 8 and 9, 2026, people across Iran took to the streets in protest. The unrest had begun days earlier, driven in part by the rapid rise in the price of the dollar and the growing pressure of daily life. The situation escalated further following a message from Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former king, who called on Iranians to gather and express their demands openly.

Footage from those days shows large crowds filling the streets, clearly voicing their anger toward the regime.

The response was immediate and violent. The regime used live ammunition against protesters, killing thousands and arresting many more.

The internet was shut down for eight days. During which arrests continued, detainees were subjected to violence, and trials were conducted without basic legal rights.

Fact 2
From the first days of the internet shutdown, the United States became increasingly vocal. Its president issued a series of statements, warning of possible military action. Whether these threats were driven by broader political motives or by the unfolding situation is a completely different story.

After weeks of tension, on March 1, the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran. On that same day, Ali Khamenei, “the Supreme Leader”, was killed.

At the time of writing, the conflict has been ongoing for twenty-three days. Several figures within the regime have been targeted. The future remains uncertain, but for the first time in a long while, the word “change” has begun to feel possible.

My experience

I was born and raised in Iran. I know what this regime is capable of. The use of religion as a tool for control and the violence are all very familiar. And yet, even with that knowledge, there are moments when the scale of cruelty still surprises you.

In the days following the protests, unofficial reports of the number of people killed began to circulate. First 20,000, then 34,000, then even higher numbers. There has been no confirmed figure. There cannot be. When those responsible are also those in power, can there ever be a clear record to rely on? Also, not to forget that even today, arrests continue and some of those detained during the protests are being executed. Hence, we never know the exact number of those who were killed.

In the weeks that followed, I shared videos and images on my social media accounts. I wrote in English, hoping to reach my non-Iranian audience. I am not an influencer, but I have friends and connections across different countries. Very few responded. Only a handful of friends who saw my posts replied or engaged with what was happening.

Then, on March 1st , everything changed. As soon as the attacks began, messages started to arrive. People asked if my family and friends were safe. They expressed concern. They wanted to understand what was happening.

This shift became evident; impossible to ignore. For weeks, 50 days to be precise, I had been sharing what was happening inside the country: the killings, the arrests, the silence forced by the internet shutdown. Many had seen it but only few had reacted. 

I have been thinking about this a lot. The only thing that come to my mind is that at the beginning it felt as though it remained an internal matter, something distant, something that belonged only to those living inside it. But the moment another country became involved, the story suddenly changed. It became urgent; something worth asking about.

I do not say this to blame those who reached out. I am grateful for their messages. What it revealed, however, is something else: the way attention is shaped. The way the media determines what is seen, and what remains in the background.

I speak Farsi. I can access sources, search for context, and follow what is happening more closely. For those who do not, understanding becomes harder. And sometimes, it simply does not reach them at all.

It is one thing to hear about conflict between countries. It is another to understand that, in some places, people live under a system that turns against them. A system which took the civilians as its hostage and punishes them when they resist. 

To me, that is the more unsettling reality. Because in that situation, those inside have very little power to change it. And outside of those directly connected, very few are paying attention simply because whatever this is is something internal.

Even now, the internet remains shut down. Twenty-four days into the war, access is still restricted. At a time when information is most critical, when people need to understand what is happening around them, to stay safe, to stay connected, they are left without it. This is the same system that, in such a moment, chooses to limit what its own people can see, know, and share.