The image that the Iranian regime seeks to paint of its streets is a nation that is past the protests
There may still be charred buses and buildings, but all has returned to normal
That's the regime's message, one that is mixed with might. In the Wall Street Journal, Iran's foreign minister issued the most direct threat yet
warning it would be firing back with everything it had if it came under renewed attack
It is a show of force that does not paint the whole picture
or the one seen in videos that have leaked slowly, dangerously, out of Iran
It does not mention the thousands of Iranian families in mourning, those that have yet to find the bodies of their children
those in hospitals maimed for life, or those fearful of seeking treatment
It doesn't mention those fearful of burying their dead, or those unable to afford it
France 24 former correspondent in Iran spoke to the family of Rabina Aminyan She was an aspiring designer Her Instagram feed is full of her love of fashion She was killed in the protests and according to her aunt who lives in
Norway, recovering the 23-year-old's body was incredibly difficult. My sister told me that it
wasn't only Robina who was at the morgue. There were hundreds, thousands of bodies and she had
to search through them all to find her daughter. The smell of blood was everywhere. The bodies were
piled one on top of the other. Rabina Arminian's family said they had to dig the grave themselves
and keep its location secret for fear that the regime would take her remains away
The death toll or the number of Iranians killed by security forces continues to climb
According to the U.S.-based human rights news activist agency, it is now over 4,500 and they're still investigating some 9,000 deaths
It is a lengthy process. Internet is still largely inaccessible. People fear they're being listened to or will be arrested and killed if they speak out