Email
Civilian Suffering Mounts as Israel Launches Strikes on Iran
| From | Iran Unfiltered from NIAC <[email protected]> |
| Subject | Civilian Suffering Mounts as Israel Launches Strikes on Iran |
| Date | June 16, 2025 9:52 PM |
Links have been removed from this email. Learn more in the FAQ.
Links have been removed from this email. Learn more in the FAQ.
Iran Unfiltered - NIAC's periodic digest tracking the latest from Iran <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<thead>
<tr>
<th>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fff; text-align: center; padding: 12px 0 15px;"><a href="#" style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1%; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="[link removed]" style="line-height: 1%; margin: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 130px;" /> </a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #222; text-align: center; padding: 0;"><a href="[link removed]" style="display: block; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1%; text-decoration: none; padding: 0 15px;" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="[link removed]" style="line-height: 1%; margin: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; height: 82px; width: 505px;" /> </a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</th>
</tr>
</thead>
</table>
Civilian Suffering Mounts as Israel Launches Strikes on Iran [[link removed]]
A wave of Israeli airstrikes across Iran over the past three days has triggered a growing humanitarian and regional crisis. The escalation has resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties, large-scale displacement, and mounting fears of a broader regional war.
According to Iran’s Ministry of Health, at least 224 people have been killed and 1,277 injured since the strikes began, with over 90% of the casualties reportedly civilians . The attacks have hit residential areas in Tehran—including Narmak, Lavizan, and Rey—as well as sites near the Fordow and Natanz nuclear facilities. Iranian officials report that hospitals are overwhelmed and that hundreds of thousands of residents have fled urban areas amid fears of further attacks.
One strike hit the headquarters of Iranian state television, which occurred live during a broadcast . The anchor announced on-air that the building had been hit, with smoke filling the room. Shortly before, Israel’s defense minister had warned of forthcoming strikes on “government media.” The program resumed from a different studio minutes later.
In a separate attack, a building affiliated with Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also struck, resulting in injuries to civilians and ministry personnel . Iranian officials called the strike a violation of international law. These attacks, combined with repeated strikes near nuclear facilities, have raised concern among legal experts and international observers.
Another serious incident occurred in Kermanshah, where a strike on an industrial site near Farabi Hospital caused severe collateral damage to the hospital itself . According to local reports, multiple departments of the hospital—including its mega ICU ward—sustained serious structural damage. Shattered glass and debris reportedly injured patients already under care, and critical medical equipment was damaged. Emergency response teams were immediately dispatched to the site.
Amid this escalation, a special session of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors—called at the request of Russia—convened in Vienna to discuss the Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites . The session concluded without a resolution or statement. Only ten member states, including China, Russia, and Indonesia, issued a separate declaration condemning the attacks and urging Israel to stop. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the IAEA’s silence “a concerning signal of political imbalance,” while Director General Rafael Grossi reiterated that international law prohibits attacks on nuclear facilities.
In a post on X, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asked President Trump to stop Israel . He accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately launching the war to derail a potential diplomatic breakthrough between Iran and the United States. “Netanyahu is a war criminal and a fraud who has manipulated U.S. presidents for nearly three decades,” he wrote.
Araghchi emphasized that Netanyahu’s goal was to sabotage negotiations that had been progressing constructively . He stated: “It only takes one phone call from Washington to silence someone like Netanyahu and open the door to diplomacy. The alternative—drawing America into yet another endless war—will eliminate any chance of a negotiated solution and carry unpredictable and possibly catastrophic consequences for regional and global security.” The Iranian foreign minister reiterated that Iran had not started this war, stating: “We take no pride in bloodshed. But we will fight—with honor—until the last drop of blood to defend our land, our people, our dignity, and our achievements.”
In response to the Israeli operation, Iran has launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes targeting military facilities inside Israel . The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claims the operations disrupted Israeli air defense systems and struck key infrastructure in Haifa and Tel Aviv with video on Sunday evening showing punishing missile impacts amid furious air defense fire. Israeli authorities report 24 fatalities and nearly 300 injuries, including civilians near military zones. A network of bomb shelters has allowed many Israeli civilians to shelter amid Iran’s waves of bombardment, something that Iranian civilians cannot access in Iran amid Israel’s own strikes.
Though Israel has cited security threats to justify its actions, the scale of civilian impact has drawn international scrutiny . Major highways out of Tehran have been choked with traffic as residents flee ongoing strikes. Social media footage shows families stranded overnight in their vehicles. The Iranian government has urged calm and announced increased emergency measures, including the reactivation of security checkpoints.
The conflict has also affected Iran’s internal political climate . The Iranian judiciary announced the execution of Esmaeil Fekri, a man convicted of espionage for Israel’s Mossad. Authorities stated that the sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court and carried out following legal procedure. According to official sources, Fekri had attempted to transmit classified information to foreign agents. However, human rights groups have expressed concern about due process and the timing of the execution, noting that such actions during wartime can carry political motives or signal efforts to deter dissent.
Meanwhile, Russia and Turkey have called for restraint and offered to mediate, warning that the situation risks spiraling into a wider conflict . Energy markets have already responded to the uncertainty, with oil prices rising nearly 3% as global supply fears deepen.
The humanitarian toll continues to grow . Municipal buildings, including a fire station and service depot in Ilam province, have been damaged. In Tehran, senior official Ali Shamkhani remains in critical condition after being injured in an earlier Israeli strike. Some earlier reports had indicated that Shamkhani had succumbed to his wounds.
Civil society voices have also emerged . In an open letter, several prominent Iranian activists—including Nobel Peace laureates Shirin Ebadi and Narges Mohammadi—called for de-escalation, an end to uranium enrichment, and steps toward democratic transition. The letter stressed that the Iranian people should not be made to suffer for geopolitical brinkmanship, whether from within or outside the country.
This conflict, already devastating in human terms, highlights the dangers of military confrontation in a region marked by mistrust and competing interests . International silence or partiality risks normalizing violations of international law and undermining civilian protection. With both nations on high alert and diplomacy sidelined, the window for de-escalation could be getting smaller.
Support NIAC's important work by making a contribution today.
Donate → [[link removed]]
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tfoot>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fff; text-align: center; padding: 60px 30px 45px;">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="35%"> </td>
<td style="text-align: center; padding: 0 8px;"><a href="[link removed]" style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1%; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="[link removed]" style="line-height: 1%; margin: 0px; vertical-align: middle; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 36px; height: 36px;" /> </a></td>
<td style="text-align: center; padding: 0 8px;"><a href="[link removed]" style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1%; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="[link removed]" style="line-height: 1%; margin: 0px; vertical-align: middle; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 36px; height: 36px;" /> </a></td>
<td style="text-align: center; padding: 0 8px;"><a href="[link removed]" style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1%; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="[link removed]" style="line-height: 1%; margin: 0px; vertical-align: middle; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 36px; height: 36px;" /> </a></td>
<td style="text-align: center; padding: 0 8px;"><a href="[link removed]" style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1%; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="[link removed]" style="line-height: 1%; margin: 0px; vertical-align: middle; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 36px; height: 36px;" /> </a></td>
<td style="text-align: center; padding: 0 8px;"><a href="[link removed]" style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1%; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="[link removed]" style="line-height: 1%; margin: 0px; vertical-align: middle; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 36px; height: 36px;" /> </a></td>
<td width="35%"> </td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fff; border-top: 1px solid #000; color: #000; padding: 30px 30px 10px; text-align: center;"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fff; color: #000; padding: 0 30px;">
<p><span style="display: block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif !important; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 700; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1.2;">Receive this email from a friend? <a href="[link removed]" style="color: #002b49;">See previous issues and/or sign up here</a>.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fff; color: #000; padding: 0 30px 20px;"><span style="display: block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif !important; font-size: 14px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1.7;">This email was sent to [email protected] because you signed up to receive the latest Iran Unfiltered newsletter in your inbox. If you don't want to receive this newsletter in the future, we'd hate to see you go but you can <a href="[link removed]" style="color: #002b49;">manage your subscription and unsubscribe here</a>. Iran Unfiltered is a weekly digest tracking Iranian politics & society from the National Iranian American Council, a 501(c)3 grassroots organization. </span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fff; padding: 0 30px 30px;"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="display:block"><span style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif !important"><span style="line-height:1.2">© 2020 National Iranian American Council | PO Box 65439 | Washington, DC 20035</span></span></span></span></td>
</tr>
</tfoot>
</table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fff; text-align: center; padding: 12px 0 15px;"><a href="#" style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1%; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="[link removed]" style="line-height: 1%; margin: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 130px;" /> </a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #222; text-align: center; padding: 0;"><a href="[link removed]" style="display: block; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1%; text-decoration: none; padding: 0 15px;" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="[link removed]" style="line-height: 1%; margin: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; height: 82px; width: 505px;" /> </a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</th>
</tr>
</thead>
</table>
Civilian Suffering Mounts as Israel Launches Strikes on Iran [[link removed]]
A wave of Israeli airstrikes across Iran over the past three days has triggered a growing humanitarian and regional crisis. The escalation has resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties, large-scale displacement, and mounting fears of a broader regional war.
According to Iran’s Ministry of Health, at least 224 people have been killed and 1,277 injured since the strikes began, with over 90% of the casualties reportedly civilians . The attacks have hit residential areas in Tehran—including Narmak, Lavizan, and Rey—as well as sites near the Fordow and Natanz nuclear facilities. Iranian officials report that hospitals are overwhelmed and that hundreds of thousands of residents have fled urban areas amid fears of further attacks.
One strike hit the headquarters of Iranian state television, which occurred live during a broadcast . The anchor announced on-air that the building had been hit, with smoke filling the room. Shortly before, Israel’s defense minister had warned of forthcoming strikes on “government media.” The program resumed from a different studio minutes later.
In a separate attack, a building affiliated with Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also struck, resulting in injuries to civilians and ministry personnel . Iranian officials called the strike a violation of international law. These attacks, combined with repeated strikes near nuclear facilities, have raised concern among legal experts and international observers.
Another serious incident occurred in Kermanshah, where a strike on an industrial site near Farabi Hospital caused severe collateral damage to the hospital itself . According to local reports, multiple departments of the hospital—including its mega ICU ward—sustained serious structural damage. Shattered glass and debris reportedly injured patients already under care, and critical medical equipment was damaged. Emergency response teams were immediately dispatched to the site.
Amid this escalation, a special session of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors—called at the request of Russia—convened in Vienna to discuss the Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites . The session concluded without a resolution or statement. Only ten member states, including China, Russia, and Indonesia, issued a separate declaration condemning the attacks and urging Israel to stop. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the IAEA’s silence “a concerning signal of political imbalance,” while Director General Rafael Grossi reiterated that international law prohibits attacks on nuclear facilities.
In a post on X, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asked President Trump to stop Israel . He accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately launching the war to derail a potential diplomatic breakthrough between Iran and the United States. “Netanyahu is a war criminal and a fraud who has manipulated U.S. presidents for nearly three decades,” he wrote.
Araghchi emphasized that Netanyahu’s goal was to sabotage negotiations that had been progressing constructively . He stated: “It only takes one phone call from Washington to silence someone like Netanyahu and open the door to diplomacy. The alternative—drawing America into yet another endless war—will eliminate any chance of a negotiated solution and carry unpredictable and possibly catastrophic consequences for regional and global security.” The Iranian foreign minister reiterated that Iran had not started this war, stating: “We take no pride in bloodshed. But we will fight—with honor—until the last drop of blood to defend our land, our people, our dignity, and our achievements.”
In response to the Israeli operation, Iran has launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes targeting military facilities inside Israel . The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claims the operations disrupted Israeli air defense systems and struck key infrastructure in Haifa and Tel Aviv with video on Sunday evening showing punishing missile impacts amid furious air defense fire. Israeli authorities report 24 fatalities and nearly 300 injuries, including civilians near military zones. A network of bomb shelters has allowed many Israeli civilians to shelter amid Iran’s waves of bombardment, something that Iranian civilians cannot access in Iran amid Israel’s own strikes.
Though Israel has cited security threats to justify its actions, the scale of civilian impact has drawn international scrutiny . Major highways out of Tehran have been choked with traffic as residents flee ongoing strikes. Social media footage shows families stranded overnight in their vehicles. The Iranian government has urged calm and announced increased emergency measures, including the reactivation of security checkpoints.
The conflict has also affected Iran’s internal political climate . The Iranian judiciary announced the execution of Esmaeil Fekri, a man convicted of espionage for Israel’s Mossad. Authorities stated that the sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court and carried out following legal procedure. According to official sources, Fekri had attempted to transmit classified information to foreign agents. However, human rights groups have expressed concern about due process and the timing of the execution, noting that such actions during wartime can carry political motives or signal efforts to deter dissent.
Meanwhile, Russia and Turkey have called for restraint and offered to mediate, warning that the situation risks spiraling into a wider conflict . Energy markets have already responded to the uncertainty, with oil prices rising nearly 3% as global supply fears deepen.
The humanitarian toll continues to grow . Municipal buildings, including a fire station and service depot in Ilam province, have been damaged. In Tehran, senior official Ali Shamkhani remains in critical condition after being injured in an earlier Israeli strike. Some earlier reports had indicated that Shamkhani had succumbed to his wounds.
Civil society voices have also emerged . In an open letter, several prominent Iranian activists—including Nobel Peace laureates Shirin Ebadi and Narges Mohammadi—called for de-escalation, an end to uranium enrichment, and steps toward democratic transition. The letter stressed that the Iranian people should not be made to suffer for geopolitical brinkmanship, whether from within or outside the country.
This conflict, already devastating in human terms, highlights the dangers of military confrontation in a region marked by mistrust and competing interests . International silence or partiality risks normalizing violations of international law and undermining civilian protection. With both nations on high alert and diplomacy sidelined, the window for de-escalation could be getting smaller.
Support NIAC's important work by making a contribution today.
Donate → [[link removed]]
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tfoot>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fff; text-align: center; padding: 60px 30px 45px;">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="35%"> </td>
<td style="text-align: center; padding: 0 8px;"><a href="[link removed]" style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1%; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="[link removed]" style="line-height: 1%; margin: 0px; vertical-align: middle; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 36px; height: 36px;" /> </a></td>
<td style="text-align: center; padding: 0 8px;"><a href="[link removed]" style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1%; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="[link removed]" style="line-height: 1%; margin: 0px; vertical-align: middle; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 36px; height: 36px;" /> </a></td>
<td style="text-align: center; padding: 0 8px;"><a href="[link removed]" style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1%; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="[link removed]" style="line-height: 1%; margin: 0px; vertical-align: middle; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 36px; height: 36px;" /> </a></td>
<td style="text-align: center; padding: 0 8px;"><a href="[link removed]" style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1%; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="[link removed]" style="line-height: 1%; margin: 0px; vertical-align: middle; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 36px; height: 36px;" /> </a></td>
<td style="text-align: center; padding: 0 8px;"><a href="[link removed]" style="mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1%; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="[link removed]" style="line-height: 1%; margin: 0px; vertical-align: middle; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 36px; height: 36px;" /> </a></td>
<td width="35%"> </td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fff; border-top: 1px solid #000; color: #000; padding: 30px 30px 10px; text-align: center;"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fff; color: #000; padding: 0 30px;">
<p><span style="display: block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif !important; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 700; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1.2;">Receive this email from a friend? <a href="[link removed]" style="color: #002b49;">See previous issues and/or sign up here</a>.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fff; color: #000; padding: 0 30px 20px;"><span style="display: block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif !important; font-size: 14px; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; line-height: 1.7;">This email was sent to [email protected] because you signed up to receive the latest Iran Unfiltered newsletter in your inbox. If you don't want to receive this newsletter in the future, we'd hate to see you go but you can <a href="[link removed]" style="color: #002b49;">manage your subscription and unsubscribe here</a>. Iran Unfiltered is a weekly digest tracking Iranian politics & society from the National Iranian American Council, a 501(c)3 grassroots organization. </span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fff; padding: 0 30px 30px;"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="display:block"><span style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif !important"><span style="line-height:1.2">© 2020 National Iranian American Council | PO Box 65439 | Washington, DC 20035</span></span></span></span></td>
</tr>
</tfoot>
</table>
Message Analysis
- Sender: National Iranian American Council
- Political Party: n/a
- Country: United States
- State/Locality: n/a
- Office: n/a
-
Email Providers:
- EveryAction