Iran: la guerre intérieure — Documentary Exposes Repression and War

The 52-minute documentary "Iran, la guerre intérieure," directed by Mortaza Behboudi and Anne-Charlotte Gourraud, compiles six months of footage filmed by Iranian activists. It aired on Arte on July 7, 2026, revealing a country where modernity is stifled by an aging but powerful regime, revitalized by US and Israeli strikes. The film covers the January 2026 revolt, its brutal repression, and the war that began on February 28, 2026, with the US-Israeli coalition. Protests started in late December 2025, driven by inflation and food price hikes due to UN sanctions backed by three European countries. Security forces fired live ammunition on unarmed protesters. Internet was cut from January 8 to 20, 2026. The death toll from repression is estimated at 30,000 by Iranian NGOs. US strikes targeted the palace of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, whose death was announced by Israel, sparking celebrations in Tehran. A ceasefire was reached on April 6, 2026. The film features anonymous activists and witnesses, their faces blurred and voices distorted for protection. Behboudi, an Afghan refugee who grew up in Iran, worked remotely from France. The documentary is available online from July 6 and aired on Arte at 22:40 on July 7.