Photos document how Iranians in affluent enclaves of northern Tehran are seeking ‘respite from the daily terror wrought by airstrikes’
Human rights groups are concerned that the Iranian regime has presided over a “surge in executions” since the U.S.-led bombing campaign began in late February. Nearly 150 people are confirmed to have been executed in 2026, while unverified reports suggest the total number of executions could be three times higher, according to Iran Human Rights.
The New York Times is also concerned about the situation in Iran, albeit with a slightly different focus. Over the weekend, the Times published a photo spread documenting how Iranian citizens were struggling to cherish the environment amid the war. The photos, taken at several parks in the affluent enclaves of northern Tehran, showed Iranians gathering outside to mark the end of Nowruz, the two-week holiday celebrating the Iranian new year.
“The celebrations took place despite daily bombardment of Tehran and other parts of Iran that have killed civilians, destroyed buildings and infrastructure, and brought much of normal life to a halt,” the Times explained. There was a passing mention to the fact that Iranians also faced “continued repression by their government,” which started long before the bombing. The notoriously violent regime has killed 45,000 civilians this year, according to the Trump administration.
Getty Images and Reuters also published dozens of photos of celebrations in parks. The images stand in stark contrast to the scenes in Tehran depicted by the Times and other outlets at the height of the crackdown against anti-regime protests earlier this year.
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