He said to her: 'You're no longer my sister', and she told him to go to hell.
This argument between a man and his sister in a city near Tehran - witnessed and recounted by one of their relatives - offers a poignant glimpse into the painful rifts that families are experiencing as US and Israeli strikes intensify in the region.
According to a relative called Sina, a recent family gathering at their grandmother's house quickly erupted into heated disputes, leading to alarming insights about divisions among family members.
Sina's uncle, a member of the Basij - a paramilitary group deployed to suppress dissent in Iran - refused to even acknowledge his sister, who is openly critical of the Iranian regime.
The escalation of tensions culminated in Sina's uncle leaving early from the gathering, illustrating the emotional chAS has seen a visible shift in attitudes among Iranians, many of whom now struggle with internally conflicting beliefs about the war's potential for political change.
Despite the Iranian government's instituted internet blackout, the BBC has managed to maintain contact with some Iranians who have found ways to stay connected. Their initial feelings of shock and fear have transformed into a need to adapt their daily lives; some even practice yoga amidst sounds of nearby explosions.
During Nowruz, the Persian New Year celebrations, families are expected to come together; however, many are facing stark realities of division and dissent.
A young man named Kaveh articulated his challenging relationship with his sister, who is also a Basij member. After joining the protests in 2022, his sister's attitude toward him shifted, leading to confrontation and alienation during family gatherings.
For many young Iranians currently caught in this tumult, such familial divisions symbolize a larger national crisis, as the conflict continues to span both ideological and personal lines.
Maral, a university student, expressed her frustrations with her father's unwavering support for the war, driven by historical loyalties to exiled figures like Reza Pahlavi. These conflicting opinions often spark arguments within her family, exemplifying how the war heightens already-existing tensions.
This reality is echoed across many families in Iran, as ordinary citizens grapple with the human costs of the ongoing violence and political strife, reflecting a nation at a crossroads between tradition and contemporary views.
