On the evening of March 18, 2026, the darkness of the capital’s nights was shattered by a terrifying and colossal light. An airstrike, attributed to the United States and Israel, targeted the heart of a residential area in Zaferanieh, Tehran, turning homes into mounds of ash and rubble. This horrific explosion did not just strip away roofs; it robbed defenseless residents of their hope and peace, tragically claiming the lives of several civilian compatriots.
The Tragedy of Beriwan Molani: From Sardasht to the Rubble of Zaferanieh
Amidst this destruction, a bitter story pierces the heart of every listener. One of the victims of this attack was Beriwan Molani, a 22-year-old woman from Sardasht, who lost her life in what should have been the safety of her home in Tehran.
The moments following the incident intertwined the magnitude of the disaster with profound human suffering. As rescuers pulled Beriwan’s lifeless body from the debris, her waiting mother—who was also among the survivors of the collapse—uttered her first and most agonizing words: “Where is my daughter? Is she alive?“
In those difficult moments, to temporarily soothe the mother’s wounded soul, the truth of the tragedy was hidden. Upon being told her daughter was alive, she kissed the rescuer’s hand in a surge of gratitude, unaware that her daughter’s innocent body had already been recovered. That kiss remains a painful symbol of false hope amidst the pinnacle of grief.
Legal Analysis: Violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL)
This event was a stone thrown into the stillness of the fundamental principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). According to these standards, residential areas and civilian populations possess absolute inviolability. The following key principles were directly violated in this tragedy:
1. The Principle of Distinction
Parties to a conflict are obligated at all times to distinguish between military objectives and civilian objects (including residential buildings), and between combatants and civilians. The attack on a residential complex in Tehran directly violates this principle.
2. The Principle of Proportionality
Even if a military objective is nearby, any attack expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life or damage to civilian objects that would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated is prohibited. The total destruction of a residential building with civilian casualties clearly demonstrates a failure to adhere to this principle.
3. The Duty of Precaution in Attack
Parties must take all feasible precautions to avoid or minimize incidental loss of civilian life and damage to civilian objects. The silence of the ruins in Zaferanieh is a scream for these disregarded principles.
This incident is not only a human tragedy but also a reminder that in any armed conflict, the voice of the global community’s conscience and the commitment to preserving innocent lives must be the loudest and most decisive operational principle.
