As Pezhakian continued, he spoke of the government’s plans — the reconstruction efforts, the financial support for bereaved families, the commitment to justice and accountability. But what struck the audience most wasn’t what he promised. It was the fact that, at intervals, he stopped speaking and simply listened.
One by one, the families began to rise and share their stories. Their grief poured out in raw, sometimes bitter words. Some spoke with quiet dignity. Others with open anger. But Pezhakian didn’t interrupt. He met every eye, took in every word.
In the front row sat Fatemeh Rahimi, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Her husband, Major Rahman Rahimi, had been one of the first military officers killed in the opening hours of the conflict when an Israeli airstrike targeted a command post near the border. She looked up at the President, her expression unreadable.
Next to her sat twelve-year-old Omid Nasser, who had become a symbol of survival after being pulled from the rubble of his family home in Ahvaz. His parents had died in the attack. Omid clutched a small, worn photograph of his mother.