Devastating Toll: Stories from Iranian Civilians Amid War

Mon Mar 23 2026 21:05:09 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The ongoing war in Iran, primarily consisting of US and Israeli airstrikes, has led to an escalating civilian casualty rate. Personal accounts reveal the tragic impacts on families as children and health care workers fall victim to the conflict.

The war in Iran has reached alarming proportions, with significant civilian casualties reported, including the deaths of a young pharmacist, a lifestyle blogger, and even children. Amidst the chaos, families face devastating loss, underscoring the human cost of military actions that often target civilian infrastructure. The toll has sparked international concern over humanitarian violations as innocent lives continue to be at risk.

A pharmacist and a homesick lifestyle blogger: The 'alarming' civilian cost of war in Iran

Parastesh Dahaghin was a young pharmacist killed in an explosion while she was at work. Berivan Molani was in bed when debris from an air strike in Tehran struck her head.

For more than three weeks, Tehran and other cities have been pummelled by US and Israeli airstrikes - with thousands of targets hit across the country. Reports of civilian casualties from these strikes are not limited to adults. Eilmah Bilki, aged 3, reportedly died a day after being injured in the western town of Sardasht.

The toll on civilians is mounting fast. Most of their stories will never be told. But through the thick, black smoke of war and an internet blackout, small fragments of information are getting out of Iran. The names of a tiny fraction of the civilian casualties of the US-Israeli war on the country are beginning to emerge.

Parastesh was in her pharmacy in Tehran's Apadana neighborhood when a nearby building, an IT company reportedly involved in Iran's internet shutdown, was struck.

Video posted online shows a mourning ceremony for Parastesh, with framed pictures of her nestled among candles and flowers. Her brother Poorya said his sister was just doing her job when she was killed, asserting that even when warned about safety, she felt compelled to remain: They come to the pharmacy, and elderly people need their medication. I have to stay here and help my people, she said.

Berivan, a 26-year-old lifestyle blogger who returned to Tehran from the safety of northern Iran just a day before her death due to homesickness, was also a victim of the airstrikes. Caught in her bed during an attack on March 17, her crush injuries were fatal, leaving her family devastated.

In total, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has documented over 1,400 civilian deaths since the onset of the conflict including approximately 15% children. One of the deadliest incidents involved a missile strike on a primary school, reportedly blamed on US actions, that resulted in multiple casualties among children.

As the world watches in horror, the International Committee of the Red Cross has reported an alarming rise in casualties, underscoring the need for compliance with international humanitarian law to protect civilians and their infrastructure.