With strikes above and crackdowns on the ground, Iranians describe life under siege

NPR | By Arezou Rezvani,

Steve Inskeep

Published March 18, 2026 at 6:45 AM EDT

A state-imposed internet blackout has obscured the reality of life in Iran as the war rages on. Those fleeing through neighboring countries share a rare glimpse of what life is like in Iran.

Arezou Rezvani

Arezou Rezvani is a senior editor for NPR's Morning Edition and founding editor of Up First, NPR's daily news podcast.

See stories by Arezou Rezvani

Steve Inskeep

Steve Inskeep is a host of NPR's Morning Edition, as well as NPR's morning news podcast Up First.

See stories by Steve Inskeep

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