During times of war, it’s difficult to glean a clear picture of what’s going on. Biased information and propaganda from both sides aim to skew perceptions towards preferred narratives. With Iran currently experiencing an almost-total internet shutdown, and journalistic access severely restricted, it’s almost impossible to find out the truth of what’s happening.
We had the privilege of talking to some Iranian citizens — both those currently in Iran, and those living abroad — and they shared their perspectives on the war.
Who was Behind the Explosion at the Elementary School in Minab?
Yesterday, March 6th, 2026, U.S. officials told Reuters that their investigations seem to show that American forces were likely responsible for the strike. This information conflicts with the firsthand accounts we received from a citizen who’s currently living in Iran. People worldwide have conflicting information. In addition to the U.S. announcement, others insist that it was an Israeli strike, or a failed rocket launch from the IRGC.
“The exact cause of the strike remains unclear”, our source said, “and it will likely require independent investigation once reliable access to the area and witnesses becomes possible (something that may prove difficult given the regime’s history of restricting information). Additionally, precise casualty totals are hard to verify because of the near-total communications blackout, secret burials and intimidation of witnesses.”
Another Iranian citizen who still lives in the country stated:
“The school was built adjacent to the IRGC’s Asif Corps base, which is being used as a command facility. The Iranian government uses human shields all the time in the hope that their enemies won’t target innocent civilians.”
Related Article: Over 100 Children Killed After Israel Missile Strikes an Elementary School in Iran
What Iranian People are Saying About This War
A blogger who goes by the username The Iranian Vegan posted her views on Instagram yesterday:
“The Iranian people have suffered brutal repression under the Islamic Republic — torture, execution, imprisonment, persecution of minorities, and an innumerable loss of life. This existed before the 1979 revolution, and the Iranian people have risen against oppressive rule before.
Let’s not forget that a century of foreign intervention helped create the conditions for the Islamic Republic to exist in the first place. This time, we’re told that bombs will bring liberation.
Forgive me if I do not believe that Israel, which is committing a genocide, is bombing Iran out of humanitarian concern.
Forgive me if I do not believe that the US, having created multiple failed states in the name of delivering freedom, has the interests of Iranians in mind.The US-Israeli colonialist project does not value life, nor does it value human rights.”
A Devastating Choice
In the wake of immeasurable cruelty by the Islamic Regime, many Iranians wonder whether “help” from external forces may be the lesser evil.
One blogger, who also still lives in Iran, posted about his experience witnessing the Islamic Republic’s behavior for over 30 years. He has felt the regime’s cruelty and seen his people’s courage. Now the world is also getting to see the regime for what it is, in his eyes: indifferent to human life.
“The regime strikes civilian centers, hotels, and airports in neighboring countries to save itself. To keep committing atrocities in the name of ideology. We have protested this criminal regime for decades. On January 8th and 9th alone, tens of thousands were shot in the streets. Hundreds of child victimes documented by human rights groups. This is not abstract politics. People are shot in the streets for demanding basic rights. Millions of us Iranians want the regime gone and see no viable internal path to change. As such, some openly debate ‘external assistance’ not from ideology, but desperation.”
Contradictory Information Makes Truth-Seeking Nearly Impossible
As always, in times of great conflict, it’s important to get to the truth of the matter rather than going on assumptions. The precedent that Israel has set with its genocide in Gaza has made many people eager to lay blame at its feet for the elementary school massacre in Iran. Similarly, Trump’s decision to attack Iran without Congressional approval means that nobody would be surprised if the U.S. was responsible.
Meanwhile, Israel has enforced a strict censorship edict regarding sharing information about damage being done to Tel Aviv. Anyone who reports successful missile impacts or shares photos of structural damage risks prosecution. It’s difficult to ascertain the truth of what’s going on in a place that’s actively preventing truth from seeping out.
Furthermore, trust in American news agencies is at an all-time low. As such, information being shared by U.S. news agencies isn’t trusted by many at all.
The key in times like these is to be very discerning about news sources. It’s vitally important to seek the truth, rather than accepting propaganda and information that serves one’s own confirmation bias.
As an Iranian artist who moved abroad decades ago said:
“One of the things that has been very hurtful is the response of the left in the west. Because of their anti-American and anti-Israel stance, they have closed their eyes on the brutality and barbarism of the Islamofascists in Iran.”
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