Six months after the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, the Islamic Republic remains deeply divided amid ongoing war and internal tensions. Across the country, symbols of red—flags, roses, and clothing—have come to represent blood, martyrdom, and calls for revenge, reflecting the regime’s efforts to rally public support as conflict continues.
In the western province of Kermanshah, the experience of one family illustrates the broader societal rifts. Hadis, a 30-year-old hairdresser, lives with her son Shahan, aged five, and her husband Vahid, who was left paralyzed after being shot during protests earlier this year. Hadis and her husband both opposed the previous leadership under the late ayatollah, while their respective parents remain supporters of the Islamic Republic.
When hostilities began, the older generation reportedly felt fear, which translated into increased participation in regime-organized rallies. Shahan’s grandparents took him to such events at night, where the child chanted slogans including “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.” Hadis described this as the beginning of the state’s indoctrination process. She noted that while Shahan initially did not grasp the situation, his grandfather impressed upon him that America and Israel were enemies lacking real strength, while Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were powerful and would prevail. This message appeared to alleviate the child’s fears.
The family alternated between Harsin, a small town in Kermanshah province where Vahid’s parents live, and the city of Kermanshah itself, near locations housing military bases and missile launchers. Despite Hadis’s efforts to remain composed, Shahan asked persistent questions regarding the war’s duration, the parties involved, internet outages, and the condition of Tehran. He inquired whether the United States had been responsible for his father’s injury, despite Vahid having been wounded during domestic protests prior to the conflict.
Initially, Hadis welcomed the start of the war, hoping it might lead to political change and the end of a regime that she holds responsible for her husband’s injury and the suppression of dissent. However, her optimism diminished as the war continued without regime change. Although a new Supreme Leader has been appointed, many perceive that the same ruling factions remain in power and are intent on cultivating enmity toward Iran’s regional and international adversaries, particularly among younger generations.
Concerns have grown regarding the involvement of children in the conflict. In March, reports emerged of an 11-year-old boy killed in an air strike while guarding a security checkpoint alongside his father in Tehran. An IRGC official disclosed that the organisation intended to recruit “volunteers” aged 12 and above, raising alarm about the militarization of youth.
Hadis expressed fear that fighting could resume and that her son might one day be drawn into the conflict. When she told Shahan that war might start again, he responded confidently that it would not because “we can’t hear the fighter jets anymore” and “Israel has been destroyed.” This reflects the complex mixture of indoctrination, hope, and fear experienced by many families living under the shadow of ongoing war and political division in Iran.