Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi warns Iranians bear the brunt of war

Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi told reporters that the Iranian populace is paying an "extremely heavy price" as war and economic sanctions tighten daily life. She described a nation choked by poverty and state repression, yet observed a growing wave of quiet defiance, particularly among the youth, rooted in the 2022 protests sparked by Mahsa Amini's death. Mohammadi, who was temporarily freed for medical treatment after a severe health crisis in prison, recounted her own harrowing detention, including beatings, solitary confinement, and a 16-year sentence with lashes for attending a memorial.

Her memoir, written behind bars and smuggled out by fellow inmates, is being released this month in several languages, with English and Farsi editions slated for next year. She expressed hope that the rising awareness and resistance signal a potential shift in Iran's human-rights landscape.