When we talk about sanctions and conflict in Iran, it’s easy to get lost in the political posturing and international debates. But at the heart of it all are real people, and their lives are significantly impacted. The reality on the ground is that ordinary Iranians are bearing the brunt of these intense pressures, experiencing everything from the tragic loss of life to the daily struggles for basic necessities. The situation is complex, with a confluence of international sanctions and internal conflict creating a challenging environment for millions.
The Dire Cost of Armed Conflict
The past year, particularly 2025, has highlighted the devastating human cost of armed conflict within and impacting Iran. It’s a sobering reminder that geopolitical tensions often translate into civilian suffering.
Civilian Casualties and International Law Concerns
In 2025 alone, military strikes within Iran led to the deaths of around 700 Iranian civilians. This isn’t just a statistic; it represents hundreds of families torn apart, lives cut short, and futures extinguished. Tragically, among those killed were 38 children, a stark and heartbreaking reminder of the indiscriminate nature of modern warfare.
One particularly disturbing event was the Israeli strike on Evin prison in Tehran on June 23rd. This incident resulted in scores of civilians being killed or injured. Such actions raise serious questions about international humanitarian law and are, quite frankly, likely war crimes. Targeting a detention facility, especially knowing civilians are present, is extremely problematic.
Conversely, Iranian missile strikes were also responsible for the deaths of 20 Israeli civilians. This reciprocity of violence underscores the tragic cycle of conflict, where retaliatory actions often lead to more innocent lives lost. These strikes, too, are likely war crimes, highlighting that violations of humanitarian law are not exclusive to one side of a conflict.
Impact on Infrastructure and Daily Life
Beyond the immediate casualties, armed conflict invariably damages infrastructure. While specific details on infrastructure damage from these particular strikes are not always front-page news, sustained conflict erodes the foundations of daily life. Hospitals, schools, and essential services can be disrupted, making life even harder for those trying to survive amidst the chaos. People are left without access to clean water, electricity, and medical care, exacerbating an already challenging situation.
A Sharper Edge: The Surge in Executions
Another deeply troubling aspect of the current situation is the significant surge in executions within Iran, a trend that speaks volumes about the internal pressures and methods of control.
Unprecedented Numbers and Reasons
In 2025, Iran saw over 2,000 executions, a truly alarming figure and the highest since the 1980s. To put that in perspective, this rate is a dramatic increase, signaling a significant shift in judicial practices. Many of these executions were reportedly for drug offenses. While drug trafficking is a serious crime, the sheer volume of executions, often without the full due process international standards require, raises profound human rights concerns. It begs the question of whether these sentences are proportionate and just, or if they are being used as a tool for wider social control.
Continuation Amidst Unrest
This grim trend unfortunately continued into 2026, coinciding with widespread protests across the country. The timing isn’t accidental. There’s a palpable sense that the authorities are using the death penalty as a means to suppress dissent and instill fear, sending a chilling message to anyone considering challenging the status quo. This heavy-handed approach only serves to deepen the human rights crisis and further alienate segments of the population.
The Iron Fist: Protest Crackdowns
The late-2025 and early-2026 period has been marked by a particularly brutal response to protests, demonstrating the regime’s determination to quell dissent at almost any cost.
Lethal Force and Mass Arrests
The response to protests in late 2025 was nothing short of lethal. Security forces used deadly force against demonstrators, resulting in numerous casualties. Alongside this violence, there were mass arbitrary arrests. Hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals were rounded up, often without clear charges or due process. These arrests cast a wide net, extending beyond active protesters to include activists, journalists, and anyone perceived as a threat.
The violence escalated significantly on January 8, 2026, further highlighting the authorities’ preparedness to use extreme measures. Eyewitness accounts and reports from human rights organisations paint a grim picture of streets filled with protesters facing live ammunition and severe beatings.
Internet Shutdowns and Information Control
A recurring tactic during these periods of unrest is the imposition of internet shutdowns. When nationwide protests flare up, as they have done, the internet is often choked or completely cut off. This isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a deliberate act of censorship and control. It severely hampers the ability of protesters to organise, communicate, and share information with the outside world. For ordinary citizens, it means being cut off from essential services, news, and connections to family and friends abroad. This informational blackout means that the full extent of the crackdown and the human cost often remains obscured for a significant period.
Long-Term Psychological Impact
Beyond the immediate physical harm, the constant threat of arbitrary arrest, violence, and the loss of loved ones creates a pervasive climate of fear. This can have profound and lasting psychological impacts on the population, leading to widespread trauma, anxiety, and a feeling of powerlessness. The state-sanctioned violence and lack of accountability erode public trust and contribute to a cycle of grievance and repression.
The Double-Edged Sword: Sanctions and Their Real-World Effects
Sanctions are often debated as a tool of international diplomacy, intended to pressure governments into changing their policies. However, their impact on the ground, especially for ordinary civilians, is far from straightforward.
Humanitarian Concerns and Practical Challenges
There have been increasing calls for ‘humanitarian carve-outs’ in sanctions regimes. The idea is to create exemptions that ensure essential goods like food and medicine can still reach the Iranian people, even while broader sanctions remain in place. The rationale is simple: sanctions are meant to target the regime, not to deprive innocent civilians of the basic necessities for survival.
However, implementing these carve-outs effectively is a huge practical challenge. Banks and financial institutions often become overly cautious, fearing being inadvertently caught in sanction violations. This ‘over-compliance’ can make it incredibly difficult to process even humanitarian transactions. As a result, essential supplies can be delayed, become prohibitively expensive, or simply not make it into the country, directly impacting the availability and affordability of life-saving medicines and food.
The Contested Status of UN Sanctions
The status of UN sanctions post-JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) ‘snapback’ is a mess of conflicting claims, leaving everyone confused. The E3 countries (France, Germany, and the UK) claim that UN sanctions were re-imposed in September 2025. This interpretation is based on certain mechanisms within the JCPOA.
However, Russia, China, and Iran vehemently dispute this, arguing that the UN sanctions expired in October 2025 as originally planned under the deal. This disagreement isn’t just academic; it has real implications for international trade, investment, and diplomatic relations. This legal and political ambiguity contributes to the broader climate of uncertainty, affecting everyone from international businesses to local merchants.
US Sanctions: A Targeted Approach?
The United States maintains that its sanctions are specifically designed to target the Iranian regime, its military, and those involved in illicit activities, rather than the Iranian people. While this is the stated policy, the reality is often blurrier.
Even targeted sanctions can have a broad, chilling effect on the wider economy. When a country’s financial system is heavily sanctioned, it becomes very difficult for any business, even those not directly targeted, to operate internationally. This can lead to currency depreciation, inflation, job losses, and a general decline in living standards. In practice, the distinction between “regime” and “people” for sanctions can become incredibly hard to maintain.
International Response and Alarms
The worsening situation within Iran has not gone unnoticed on the international stage, with various bodies and experts raising serious concerns and taking action.
UN Human Rights Council’s Urgent Session
On January 23, 2026, the UN Human Rights Council convened its 39th Special Session specifically to address the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran. Special sessions are rare and usually reserved for urgent, critical situations. This action underscores the international community’s deep concern about the escalating violence, executions, and repression.
During this session, there was a push to extend the mandates of existing fact-finding missions and to appoint new experts to investigate specific allegations. These mandates are crucial for documenting abuses, verifying reports, and holding perpetrators accountable, at least in principle. They provide an independent mechanism to shed light on what’s happening on the ground, which is particularly vital given Iran’s restrictions on external observers.
Expert Warnings: A Deepening Crisis
Human rights experts, including UN Special Rapporteurs, have issued grave warnings about the deepening crisis. They have highlighted the alarming rise in executions, particularly in the context of the ongoing protests. The concern is that not only are executions increasing in number, but they are also being used as a political tool to suppress dissent rather than as a measure of justice for genuinely serious crimes.
These warnings serve as a global alert, calling on international actors to intensify diplomatic efforts and apply pressure on Iran to respect human rights. The experts often stress that ignoring these issues would legitimise the crackdowns and further entrench a culture of impunity.
The Lived Experience: More Than Just Statistics
It’s easy to read about these events as cold facts, but it’s crucial to remember that each number represents a human life, a shattered family, or a daily struggle. The combined effect of armed conflict, a surge in executions, brutal protest crackdowns, and pervasive sanctions creates an incredibly difficult environment for millions of Iranians.
For ordinary people, this means constant uncertainty, economic hardship, restricted freedoms, and often, profound fear. Access to education, healthcare, and job opportunities can all be severely impacted. The mental health toll on a population living under such conditions is immense. The international community, while navigating complex political considerations, must keep the human element at the forefront and seek ways to alleviate the suffering of the Iranian people. This isn’t about politics or power; it’s about basic human dignity and the fundamental right to live a life free from conflict and oppression.
FAQs
What are the human impacts of sanctions and conflict inside Iran?
The human impacts of sanctions and conflict inside Iran include economic hardship, limited access to essential goods and services, and a decline in overall living standards. These factors can lead to increased poverty, unemployment, and a strain on healthcare and education systems.
How do sanctions and conflict affect the healthcare system in Iran?
Sanctions and conflict can severely impact the healthcare system in Iran by restricting access to medical supplies, equipment, and pharmaceuticals. This can lead to shortages of essential medications, hinder the ability to provide adequate healthcare services, and ultimately result in negative health outcomes for the population.
What is the impact of sanctions and conflict on the education system in Iran?
Sanctions and conflict can have a detrimental impact on the education system in Iran by limiting access to educational resources, hindering academic and research opportunities, and reducing the overall quality of education. This can ultimately hinder the development and potential of the country’s future generations.
How do sanctions and conflict affect the availability of essential goods and services in Iran?
Sanctions and conflict can restrict the availability of essential goods and services in Iran by disrupting trade, increasing prices, and limiting access to basic necessities such as food, water, and energy. This can lead to widespread hardship and a decline in living standards for the population.
What are the long-term implications of sanctions and conflict on the people of Iran?
The long-term implications of sanctions and conflict on the people of Iran include increased poverty, unemployment, and a decline in overall well-being. These factors can also contribute to social and political instability, further exacerbating the challenges faced by the population.
