The Ceasefire’s Cruel Twist: Iranians Say “We Fear Bombs, But We Fear the Ceasefire Even More”
TEHRAN — The fighting between Iran and Israel may have stopped for now, but inside Iran, the government has started a new kind of battle — this time against its own people. Using the excuse of “national security,” it is cracking down more on its citizens.
What happened: After the tough 12-day war with Israel, the Iranian government has started a harsh crackdown inside the country. It has arrested hundreds of people, accusing them of spying or supporting Israel in their speech or actions.
This week, Iran’s security forces said they have arrested over 700 people across the country. The government is trying to control growing public anger, as many Iranians feel it failed to stop Israel’s secret operations inside the country. These Israeli efforts, which went on for years, are believed to have helped Israel in the recent war — especially through attacks that killed important Iranian figures, according to AL-Monitor media reports.
Official reports say that at least 39 top military commanders and 14 nuclear scientists were killed during the war. These carefully planned attacks showed serious weaknesses in Iran’s intelligence system.
The war ended after U.S. Pre sident Donald Trump suddenly announced a ceasefire early Tuesday, 24th June. But since then, Iran has only increased its crackdown inside the country.
This crackdown is one of the biggest in recent times. The government is going after people it claims are spies, traitors, critics of the regime, or those spreading false information — all in the name of protecting the country.
Officials claim that those arrested were helping foreign spy agencies, mainly Israel’s Mossad, by sharing secret information about Iran’s military and important buildings.
Some people were caught with satellite phones and other communication devices in different parts of the country. Others were accused of trying to leak information about Iran’s defense industry.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has called these arrests a big win in its ongoing spy battle against Israel, the U.S. (CIA), and the U.K. (Mi6).
Why it matters: The speed and harshness of the crackdown have caused fear and anger among many Iranians. People feel this is not really about catching spies, but more about a scared government blaming its own people for its failures.
One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “Since the government hasn’t fallen, this ceasefire feels like the start of a new war — not with other countries, but against the people of Iran.”
At least six people were executed during the war and on the first day of the ceasefire. These people had been arrested earlier, but their executions were carried out quickly — likely to show that the government is being tough in its fight against foreign spies.
This has raised fears that some innocent people might be wrongly executed after quick, unfair trials. Such actions have happened before when the government felt its power was in danger.
Iran’s courts have announced new plans to make laws even stricter for those accused of spying. This includes using the death penalty more often.
Meanwhile, state TV keeps showing “confessions” from people accused of spying. But human rights groups say these confessions can’t be trusted, as they are often forced out of people through pressure or torture.
The government is especially targeting people from minority groups. This includes Kurds, members of the banned Bahai religion, and even some Jewish people in cities like Tehran and Shiraz.
Who are the Kurds? :Kurds are an ethnic group with their own language and culture. Many of them live in western Iran, near the borders with Iraq and Turkey. They have often faced discrimination from the Iranian government.
Many Iranians felt scared even during the war, as they remembered how the government has cracked down on people in the past. One popular social media post said, “We fear bombs, but we fear the ceasefire even more.”
Know more: Some people warned the world not to leave Iranians alone with their own government, which they compared to a “wounded snake.” This scary image shows how dangerous the government can become when it feels hurt or embarrassed.
One similar event happened in 1988. After Iran agreed to stop fighting with Iraq, the government secretly killed thousands of political prisoners. Most were buried in nameless mass graves.
For many people, what the government is doing now feels like a painful reminder of that dark time.
While the war was going on, some supporters of the government said that Iran should do what it did in 1988 again—kill large numbers of prisoners. This time, they wanted it on an even bigger scale after the ceasefire.
People in Iran are already struggling with high prices and money problems. Now, things look even worse. The war may have stopped the bombs for now, but fear is rising. Many Iranians feel stuck—caught between war from outside and harsh treatment from their own government inside.
Iran is already facing serious problems like poverty, rising prices, power cuts, and damage to the environment. These issues have made many people lose trust in the government. Now, with this new crackdown, the gap between the rulers and the people may grow even wider.
Still, the Iranian government claims it won the war and keeps threatening Israel and the United States.
On Friday, June 27, Gholam-Reza Soleimani, head of Iran’s Basij force (a key group linked to the IRGC), said, “The enemy wrongly thought that killing our scientists and commanders would stop Iran’s progress. But we will keep moving forward until Palestine is fully freed.”
Even though Iranian officials are repeating the government’s usual message, their words reveal a clear problem. Iran is facing serious internal trouble — with security failures and growing public anger — but it is not changing its plans in the region.
Instead, Iran seems even more determined to continue its fight against Israel. This strong anti-Israel position could soon break the fragile peace that the ceasefire has brought.
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