The Short Life of a Newborn During the Iran War
“What crime had my 20-day-old grandchild committed?” The post The Short Life of a Newborn During the Iran War appeared first on The Intercept .
Mohammad Ali Kialha arrived in the world on February 26 in Tehran under the seemingly peaceful reign of President Donald Trump. However, his short life was abruptly cut two days later, as a war sparked by Trump's tweets commenced. The U.S. targeted an elementary school in Minab on February 28, resulting in the death of over 150 people, primarily children.
Tens of thousands more fatalities followed in subsequent U.S.-Israeli airstrikes. By June, the number reached more than 650. Despite the risks, Hannaneh Rostami, also known as Hannaneh, and her husband Ali welcomed their newborn grandson, Mohammad, into their home in Tehran's Pirouzi neighborhood. Hannaneh's mother, Tahereh Sarbaz, traveled from Qazvin to meet her grandchild.
Sarbaz witnessed the devastation firsthand, as Trump threatened to destroy areas deemed hostile to Iran. As the war raged, Pirouzi, a densely populated residential area, bore the brunt of the attacks. Ali continued working, urging Hannaneh and their children to seek refuge in Qazvin. Eventually, Sarbaz followed, believing it would be safer for them.
On March 17, Sarbaz broke the news to Hannaneh that her family had been killed in an airstrike. Her whole family, including her three children, also perished. The impact of this tragedy on Sarbaz and Dr. Azadeh, a high-ranking official in the Tehran Fire Department, was profound. SARBAZ: "My daughter refused. She told him, ‘I will not leave you here alone.’" SARBAZ: "Mother, the thing you were afraid of has happened."
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