Iran Unfiltered - NIAC's periodic digest tracking the latest from Iran ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
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Iran–Israel War Escalates: Iranian Civil Voices Demand Ceasefire, Condemn Israeli Strikes, and Call for Reform [[link removed]]
The escalating war between Iran and Israel has entered a dangerous new phase, marked by continued drone and missile strikes, civilian casualties, and the growing involvement of regional and international powers . As Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launches new waves of attacks under what it calls the “Promise of Truth 3” operation, state-affiliated media report that Iranian drones have crossed Iraqi airspace en route to Israeli targets. Iran also unveiled the Shahed-107, a new suicide drone with a reported range of over 1,500 kilometers.

While Iranian sources claim to have targeted Mossad and Aman intelligence facilities in Tel Aviv, Israeli officials say most projectiles were intercepted or landed in uninhabited zones . Meanwhile, explosions have been reported in Tehran, with air defenses activated near Natanz.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has now confirmed “direct damage” to underground enrichment facilities at Natanz, based on high-resolution satellite imagery collected after Israel’s Friday airstrikes. This marks a major development, as the IAEA had previously indicated that only above-ground infrastructure had been hit. Israel also claimed it had killed senior Iranian commander Ali Shademani, recently appointed to the top of the Khatam al-Anbiya base.

U.S. President Donald Trump, attending the G7 summit in Canada, posted a message urging everyone to immediately evacuate Tehran . White House officials later claimed this was intended to pressure Iran to return to negotiations, but the statement was widely criticized as reckless and destabilizing, particularly as multiple nations began evacuating their citizens from both Iran and Israel.

Cyberattacks on Iran’s infrastructure, including a major strike on Bank Sepah, disrupted banking and fuel stations, prompting emergency mobile fuel deployment . Iran’s Ministry of Health has canceled all medical staff leave amid the rising civilian death toll, which includes doctors and children. Iranian media have also reported new airstrikes on Tehran and the reactivation of air defense systems.

Additionally, widespread internet disruptions have been reported across multiple provinces in Iran, with analysts warning that the government may be preparing to sever international access entirely.

Amid these developments, a growing number of Iranian civil society figures and political prisoners have issued urgent calls for de-escalation and reform . These voices have unequivocally condemned Israel’s military aggression, describing it as a blatant violation of international law and a campaign that has deliberately targeted civilians, scientists, and infrastructure. They warn that Israel’s bombardment—backed by advanced U.S. and European weaponry—has already claimed the lives of non-combatants, including poets, artists, doctors, and children.

From inside Evin Prison, reformist politician Mostafa Tajzadeh declared that this war is “not a solution but part of the problem ,” emphasizing that foreign military intervention cannot bring democracy to Iran. He urged for an immediate ceasefire, a return to the nuclear negotiation table with the U.S., and a peaceful transition to democracy.

In a joint statement, prominent dissidents and scholars—including Mohsen Kadivar, Hassan Yousefi Eshkevari, Abdolali Bazargan, and Hassan Farshitian —proposed a five-point roadmap:

1. Immediate ceasefire to prevent further destruction and loss of life.


2. Direct and serious negotiations with the United States to protect national interests.


3. Temporary flexibility on uranium enrichment to safeguard infrastructure and lives.


4. Reconciliation between the state and people, including the release of political prisoners and freedom of the press.


5. A national referendum to consider constitutional reform, including removing the Supreme Leader’s absolute authority.



These voices assert that reform within the Islamic Republic is essential, but must come from the Iranian people—not through Israeli airstrikes or foreign intervention . As Zahra Rahnavard, Green Movement leader under house arrest, warned: “Let this not become a prolonged war that burns down generations… Now is the time for smart, people-centered leadership.”

Meanwhile, the Iranian government has intensified its domestic crackdown . A newly formed digital surveillance unit has detained or warned dozens of journalists and online activists, including Ali Pakzad of Shargh newspaper. The judiciary has also formed a “special war-time media unit” to monitor and prosecute digital content during the conflict. In parallel, state media personalities have urged citizens to delete WhatsApp, alleging the app is used by Israeli intelligence to geolocate targets—a claim firmly denied by WhatsApp’s parent company, Meta.

In a highly controversial interview with Iran International, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referenced the Iranian slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom” and claimed, “We are not enemies—we have a common enemy .” Yet moments later, he cited the example of an Israeli female pilot who, he said, was bombing targets in Tehran at that very moment. This remark has sparked widespread condemnation, as many viewed it as an exploitation of feminist rhetoric to justify military violence.

As fallout from the war deepens, voices from Iranian civil society continue to speak out . Political figure Faezeh Hashemi called on her own party to reject the drumbeat of war, urging a stop to policies that have brought Iran to the brink. Artist and activist Parastou Forouhar penned a moving reflection on exile, grief, and the moral cost of vengeance, warning against conflating justice with retaliation.

Iranian football legends Ali Daei and Mehrdad Minavand expressed their solidarity with their homeland through heartfelt posts on social media, standing with the people of Iran during this difficult time. Internationally, French President Emmanuel Macron called military regime change in Iran a “grave mistake” and advocated for returning to diplomatic talks. Meanwhile, reports indicate that Trump has considered potential U.S. cooperation in Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, including the Fordow site. Yet sources assert there is no clear consensus among his top advisers. The British defense minister, John Healey, also called for restraint from all sides, emphasizing diplomacy as the only path to lasting peace—even as the UK and U.S. boost military presence in the region.

Grassroots efforts have also emerged inside Iran . A group of Tehran residents, led by translator Shirin Rastgarpour, has formed an informal network to help elderly and sick citizens who are unable to flee. The initiative, shared widely on Persian social media, underscores the resilience and solidarity of ordinary people amid crisis.

As airstrikes continue, hospitals overflow, and tensions rise, the message from many Iranian activists, journalists, and political prisoners is urgent and unified: This war threatens the very survival of Iran . The government must choose peace, diplomacy, and internal reform before irreversible damage is done. As their statement concludes: “Nuclear energy is our right—but Iran itself is a greater right.”
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