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Recent history in the Balkans may offer a useful lens for the postwar questions now confronting many ordinary Iranians.

Nowruz is approaching with far less of its usual energy across Iran this year, as many families abandon long-standing New Year preparations while war, economic strain and an atmosphere of uncertainty dampen the festive mood.

The Israeli killing of Ali Larijani marks another blow to the Islamic Republic’s capacity for coordination, weakening an already fragmented system and raising the risk of miscalculation under pressure.

Authorities in Tehran have issued sweeping warnings ahead of Iran’s annual fire festival, Chaharshanbeh Suri, framing the centuries-old celebration as a potential flashpoint for unrest during wartime.

Daniel Levinson, son of retired FBI agent Robert Levinson who vanished in Iran over 19 years ago, says the US‑Israeli strikes could bring long‑delayed justice to his family and strengthen the fight for freedom against Tehran's oppressive regime.

Israeli forces killed senior Iranian official Ali Larijani and IRGC-Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani in overnight airstrikes inside Iran, Israel’s defense minister and military said on Tuesday, as Tehran has yet to confirm the deaths.

As dusk falls across Iran on Tuesday, bonfires, fireworks and street gatherings are expected to mark Chaharshanbeh Suri, an ancient fire festival that has also become a public act of defiance, this year unfolding under war, heavy security and fears of bloodshed.

Exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi said the Islamic Republic’s weakening grip on internal repression is bringing closer the moment when Iranians could once again take control of the streets.

In a normal year, Iranian newspapers would now be filled with stories celebrating Nowruz, the Persian New Year beginning March 20. But with war raging across Iran, front pages are instead dominated by headlines about security and survival.

President Donald Trump was briefed before launching strikes on Iran that Tehran could retaliate against US allies in the Persian Gulf, Reuters reported Monday, citing a US official and several people familiar with intelligence assessments.

Iran has imposed new restrictions on internet access, further limiting VPN connections and reportedly targeting Starlink users, leaving even fewer people able to access global networks.

An investigation by Amnesty International has concluded that a deadly strike on a school in southern Iran last month may have violated international humanitarian law, adding to mounting scrutiny of one of the war’s deadliest incidents.

Reports received by Iran International indicate that at least 5,000 members of Iran’s military and security forces have been killed and more than 15,000 wounded so far in the US-Israeli attack on the country.

Several Arab states along the Persian Gulf are urging the United States not to halt its military campaign against Iran before significantly weakening the country’s military capabilities, Reuters reported Monday, citing regional officials.

Iran’s top security official Ali Larijani on Monday accused Islamic countries of abandoning Iran during the war with the United States and Israel, singling out the United Arab Emirates for describing Tehran as an enemy after attacks on Emirati targets.

The killings of protesters in January did not end when the shooting stopped. For many Iranians living thousands of kilometers from the streets where the bullets fell, the event did not remain on their screens.

The appointment of a military adviser by Iran’s new Supreme Leader triggered a wave of ridicule on Iranian social media, with users mocking both the decision and the figure chosen for the role.

Australian club Brisbane Roar said on Monday it had welcomed Iranian players Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh to train with its A-League Women squad after the two applied for asylum in Australia.

Iran is not seeking a ceasefire but war with the United States and Israel must end, the country’s foreign minister said on Monday, adding that the Islamic Republic will continue fighting until future attacks are prevented.

Iran’s authorities carried out a sweeping crackdown during recent nationwide protests, UN human rights rapporteur on Iran said, citing widespread arrests, violence against demonstrators and severe restrictions on freedoms of expression, assembly and information.

Israel’s military said on Monday that its air force had destroyed an aircraft used by Iran’s supreme leader during an overnight strike on Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport, as the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to escalate.