The escalating conflict between the US and Iran has brought a new level of chaos and fear to the lives of ordinary Iranians. As US airstrikes target Iranian cities and Tehran retaliates, the country is experiencing a worsening human rights crisis and a cycle of violence that shows no signs of abating. This situation is particularly harrowing for those living in Bandar Abbas, a strategic port city on the Strait of Hormuz, which has been under constant attack since the latest escalation began. The residents of this city are now facing a "new normal" where loud explosions and prolonged power cuts are the norm, and the fear of the future is ever-present.
One resident, Soroush, a 37-year-old writer, describes a chilling acceptance of this reality among the people. He says, "We need to accept this could just be our new reality now and it’s worked because we are less afraid as each day goes on. We are less afraid of the future because we are now forced to accept this is the new normal. There’s no one coming to save us from the bombs or the regime’s bullets. Our brains have tricked us into making peace with this new reality."
The impact of these attacks is not limited to the physical destruction of infrastructure. It extends to the psychological and economic well-being of the people. Mehnaz, a 39-year-old woman who relies on the internet for her work, is struggling with the government-imposed internet shutdown, which has severely affected her earnings. She says, "We always had power cuts, but the hours have now extended and I fear I can’t rely on my online work any more. The war is far from the end and daily life is becoming harder under the bombs, power cuts and internet shutdowns. It’s truly hell here."
The US strikes have also targeted water facilities, causing further hardship for the people of Iran. A strike in June on water facilities in the coastal city of Sirik left thousands of residents rationing water and struggling with daily chores. The situation is particularly dire in Jask, another port city reportedly struck by the US this week. State media claimed US strikes hit 100 civilian vessels and that an attack on the Bonji desalination plant left 20 villages without drinking water. Moein, a resident of Jask, said that although the water supply had been restored, residents were in panic and scrambling to prepare for a long-running war. He adds, "That’s just it. The heat is rising and if we lack water supply due to these attacks, we will die of heat exhaustion and thirst. Supply is back now, but we are now making sure to prepare for future attacks and we have to save as much water as we can."
The war is having a severe impact on civilians, and such concerns do not equate to support for the country’s rulers. Nik Kowsar, a US-based Iranian journalist and water issues analyst, says, "Iranians can despise the regime and want the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] dismantled while still being horrified by attacks that leave ordinary families without water, electricity, medicine or income. Attacking desalination plants in Iran’s hot and dry south is particularly dangerous. When temperatures climb above 40C, losing access to drinking water can quickly become a matter of life and death. Bombing the infrastructure people rely on will not make Iranians embrace those carrying out the attacks. It may weaken the government, but ordinary people pay the immediate price, and the country is left with damage that could take years to repair."
The human rights situation in Iran is also dire, with at least 400 people reportedly executed since the beginning of this year, including teenagers, foreign nationals, protesters and former political prisoners. According to the Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights, hundreds more are believed to be facing capital punishment. Soroush says, "The US government will now take revenge for its personnel killed by the regime and the regime will in retaliation pick up more teenagers and hang them in revenge for the killing of [Ali] Khamenei. This is just the beginning of more Iranian lives being on the line either for the US or the regime. I am deeply saddened and feel helpless."
The conflict has brought a new level of chaos and fear to the lives of ordinary Iranians, and the future remains uncertain. The "new normal" described by the residents of Bandar Abbas and other affected cities is a grim reminder of the human cost of war and the need for a peaceful resolution to the escalating conflict.
