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Week of June 9, 2025 | Iran Unfiltered is a digest tracking Iranian politics & society by the National Iranian American Council
This is a fast-moving situation. We will update Iran Unfiltered as quickly and accurately as we can.
In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Israel has launched a wide-ranging military operation against Iran, targeting what it calls nuclear and military infrastructure in a series of airstrikes it described as “preemptive.” The operation, named “Rising Lion,” has killed several senior Iranian military figures and led to scores of deaths and hundreds of injuries, including bystanders. Coinciding with the strikes, Israel announced a state of emergency anticipating eventual Iranian retaliation.
Fears of broader conflict across the region have spiked, with Iran’s Supreme Leader vowing a harsh response. Late on Friday, Iran launched an initial missile reprisal into Israel, with reports of damage only now beginning to come in at the time of publication.
Israeli officials have confirmed that multiple simultaneous strikes were carried out against Iran’s long-range missile sites, nuclear facilities, and air defense systems. Among the key sites targeted were the Natanz nuclear enrichment center and military compounds in East Tehran, where heavy explosions were reported by residents starting around 9:30 PM local time. The attacks intensified overnight, especially near Pirouzi Street, home to key military infrastructure.
According to Iranian media, 12 provinces were hit, including Tehran, East Azerbaijan, and Fars. As of this morning, the Natanz enrichment facility sustained what Israeli sources described as “significant damage,” while the deeply-buried Fordow enrichment facility had not been targeted. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported no increase in radiation levels after the strike. Arms control expert Dr. Jeffrey Lewis stated this morning, “A cursory look at a pair of satellite images shows that Natanz looks lightly damaged and Fordow is not damaged at all.”
Friday evening, reports emerged that Israeli forces were targeting the Fordow enrichment facility, with photos and video showing smoke rising from the facility in two locations. Iranian air defenses were activated, and reports indicated that Israeli drones had been shot down near the Fordow enrichment site.
While official figures are pending, Fars News Agency reports at least 78 people killed and 329 injured in Tehran province alone. Additional reports confirm 5 civilians killed and 12 injured in Tabriz. These attacks, many striking residential buildings, have resulted in significant civilian casualties.
A reported strike on a social welfare center in Qasr-e Shirin drew condemnation from Ahmad Meydari, Iran’s Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, who called it a “war crime” and vowed to use all international channels for legal action. He stressed the need for a unified national voice to defend Iran’s territorial integrity.
Among the civilian victims was Parsa Mansour, a member of Iran’s national padel team,, who was killed after leaving training. Parnia Abbasi, a 25-year-old Iranian poet and English teacher, was reported killed along with her family. The Iranian Red Crescent confirmed the death of one relief worker and injuries to another. At least 95 individuals have been hospitalized, with more injuries expected to be confirmed.
Many senior Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists were killed in strikes, with many targeted at their residences or underground command posts. Confirmed deaths include:
- Major General Hossein Salami, IRGC Commander-in-Chief
- Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces
- General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, Commander of IRGC Aerospace Force
- General Gholam-Ali Rashid, Commander of Khatam al-Anbiya HQ
- Nuclear scientists including Fereydoon Abbasi, Mehdi Tehranchi, Abdolhamid Minoocher, and Seyed Amirhossein Faghihi.
These killings represent a historic blow to Iran’s strategic command. The initial response appears to resemble Israel’s rapid-fire elimination of Hezbollah’s chain of command last year, which threw the paramilitary organization into disarray and limited its ability to respond to Israel. Iran’s ability to coordinate a military response appears to have been significantly impacted in the short term.
Meanwhile, reports indicate severe damage to Iran’s air defense systems. In East Azerbaijan, Israeli drones continue flying over Tabriz with no effective interception, suggesting that Iran’s radar and anti-aircraft systems were heavily damaged. This increases Iran’s exposure to future strikes.
Iranian leaders have issued strong warnings. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei described the attack as a “bloody crime” and promised “a bitter and painful punishment.” President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have condemned the attacks and called for an emergency UN Security Council session. In a letter, Araghchi stated that the strike was a “clear act of war” and a violation of the UN Charter.
Despite Israeli military claims of intercepting Iranian drones, Iran has publicly denied launching any drone attacks against Israel so far. As tensions continue to rise, Israel has warned of additional phases in its operation. The situation has placed the region on the brink of broader confrontation, as both sides evaluate their capabilities and the risks of escalation. The civilian death toll, the leadership losses, and the crippling of Iran’s military infrastructure make the coming days highly volatile and unpredictable.
The U.S. role in the attacks is unclear, with conflicting information emerging from the White House. Prior reports had indicated that President Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to attack Iran. However, the U.S. made the decision to evacuate nonessential personnel from embassies across the region and leaked that an Israeli attack could occur imminently.
Amid the strikes last night, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated “Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense. President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.”
However, U.S. President Donald Trump has since also weighed in on the strikes, intimating foreknowledge of the attacks and warning Iran to agree to a deal before more bombing occurs. He stated:
“I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal. I told them, in the strongest of words, to “just do it,” but no matter how hard they tried, no matter how close they got, they just couldn’t get it done. I told them it would be much worse than anything they know, anticipated, or were told, that the United States makes the best and most lethal military equipment anywhere in the World, BY FAR, and that Israel has a lot of it, with much more to come – And they know how to use it. Certain Iranian hardliner’s spoke bravely, but they didn’t know what was about to happen. They are all DEAD now, and it will only get worse! There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end. Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire. No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. God Bless You All!”
Oman’s Foreign Minister, Badr Albusaidi, strongly condemned Israel’s attack. While Oman had been facilitating the negotiations, Albusaidi stated “Israel’s unilateral attack on Iran is illegal, unjustifiable and a grave threat to regional stability. I condemn it and urge the global community to come together to reject Israeli aggression and support de-escalation and diplomacy with one voice.”
Reports late Friday indicated Iran had launched multiple salvos of ballistic missiles toward Israel, with sirens sounding throughout Israeli territory in anticipation of the strikes. Over one hundred missiles were reportedly fired in the first wave, with impacts reported in Tel Aviv and imagery showing smoke rising in the heart of the city. Video shows multiple missile strikes in Tel Aviv despite air defense systems engaged in efforts to intercept the missiles. Israeli emergency response indicates at least 21 have been injured, with some reports of a building evacuation underway given extensive damage from a strike.
The U.S. military reportedly participated in efforts to intercept the missiles, which is a role that it played previously in prior Iranian reprisals against Israel. Previously, Axios had reported that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff had told Republican Senators that Iran’s missiles are capable of overwhelming Israeli missile defenses and creating a “mass casualty” event.
Kazem Seddiqi, Tehran’s interim Friday Prayer Imam, has confirmed the arrest of his son following a judicial order, stating he will fully comply with the law if any charges are proven. The semi-official Fars News Agency reported, citing an “informed source,” that two of Seddiqi’s sons had been arrested. According to Tasnim News Agency on Monday, June 9, Seddiqi stated “About a week ago, my son was arrested by judicial order and is currently in detention while the judiciary investigates the allegations.” Seddiqi described himself as a “guardian of the law” and emphasized “I have not even gone to see him.”
Fars News had earlier reported that the sons were arrested two weeks ago on charges of misconduct and illicit dealings. A source said the judiciary is handling the case “with great care and sensitivity” and is determined to pursue it “independently and professionally, unaffected by media uproar.”
According to the Sacred Defense News Agency, the arrests were carried out in cooperation with the judiciary and the IRGC’s Intelligence Organization. While the sons’ names have not been officially released, Mohammad-Mehdi Rajabi Seddiqi and Mohammad-Hossein Rajabi Seddiqi were previously linked to a high-profile land fraud case.
That case, exposed by investigative journalist Yashar Soltani in late 2023, involved the transfer of a valuable 4,200-square-meter garden plot in northeast Tehran—originally owned by the Imam Khomeini Seminary, where Seddiqi teaches ethics. Documents showed that Seddiqi had transferred part of the seminary’s public land to his son Mohammad-Mehdi and an organization called the Followers of Qaem’s Ideals Institute, founded by Seddiqi and his sons.
Initially, Seddiqi denied involvement, claiming his signature was forged. However, the seminary later confirmed that he had personally signed the deed at a notary office. He later admitted the transaction had been intended for a cultural project, and that the transfer was the result of “negligence” and “misplaced trust.” He stated the deal had since been canceled, the land returned, and dissolution proceedings for the institute had begun. He also publicly repented and declared: “Familiar or unfamiliar, everyone must be held accountable.”
The recent arrests have revived public attention on that case. Yashar Soltani wrote on X: “When I published the Seddiqi land fraud case, the Ministry of Intelligence called to demand its removal. Then came summonses and interrogations.” He added, with the hashtag #HopefulNews: “If Seddiqi hadn’t been caught in the land deal back then, his son’s arrest wouldn’t be happening now.”
Sakineh Sadat Pad, aide to former President Raisi, wrote on X: “I thank the esteemed judiciary for its principled and impartial handling of the Seddiqi brothers’ case.” Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, without directly referencing the case, stressed during a weekly meeting “We must guard our family and colleagues against corruption. If signs of wrongdoing appear, we must act immediately.” He added, “The enemy is constantly looking for ways to strike at our system.”
Former minister Ezzatollah Zarghami also posted on social media: “I advised Mr. Seddiqi not to lead Friday prayers until the legal case involving his son is resolved” noting that Seddiqi “shared the same view.” Despite public scrutiny and renewed pressure, Seddiqi has continued leading Friday prayers, though Zarghami’s remarks suggest a possible reconsideration.
Bijan Ashtari, renowned Iranian translator, writer, and historian, passed away on June 8, 2025 (18 Khordad 1404) at the age of 64 due to cardiac arrest at his home in Tehran. He had long battled heart disease, and some sources had also reported a cancer diagnosis in recent years.
Born in 1959 (1339), Ashtari began his professional journey as a film critic and journalist in the early 1980s, later turning to historical translation and writing—a passion rooted in his lifelong love for reading and history. Though he held a degree in microbiology from the University of Tehran, his true legacy lies in his contributions to contemporary historical literature, particularly on the Soviet Union, Eastern Bloc, and political biographies.
Over the past 25 years, Bijan Ashtari emerged as one of Iran’s most influential translators, known for his analytical approach, faithful rendering of source texts, and commitment to tackling challenging and ideologically complex subjects. His works played a major role in expanding historical awareness among Persian-speaking readers and became cornerstone references in academic and cultural circles.
Some of his most notable translations include:
- Young Stalin by Simon Sebag Montefiore
- Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday
- Aquariums of Pyongyang by Kang Chol-Hwan
- Lenin by Robert Service
- Ceausescu: The Fall of a Dictator by Edward Behr
- Hope Against Hope by Nadezhda Mandelstam
- Literature Against Tyranny by Peter Finn
- Anti-Soviet Soviet Union by Vladimir Voinovich
- And a wide range of biographies and memoirs on figures like Khrushchev, Gorbachev, Enver Hoxha, Trotsky, and Bukharin
His final published work, Silence as a Weapon, a book on the life and death of Soviet writer Isaac Babel, was released in March 2025. Ashtari’s books, many of which were published with the signature red covers of Nashr-e-Sales, have become synonymous with serious historical scholarship in Iran. His writing style—clear, accessible, and deeply informed—earned the trust of readers across generations.
Beyond his books, Ashtari was also active as a political commentator and cultural critic, engaging regularly with followers through social media and contributing to public discourse with thoughtful historical reflections. The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) extends its deepest condolences to his family, friends, and the countless readers who admired his work. His passing is an irreparable loss to Iran’s cultural and intellectual community. Bijan Ashtari’s legacy will endure through the powerful stories he helped bring into the Persian language—and through the light he shed on the complexities of modern history.
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