Shirin Jaafari

1 week ago | theworld.org | Shirin Jaafari

Mohammad Mahdi Kalantari grew up in the city of Isfahan, in central Iran, not far from the Naqsh-e Jahan Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a palace, grand bazaar and mosque, adorned in turquoise tiles. As a child, Kalantari often visited a crumbling family home near the square. “The walls were falling apart,” he recalled.

1 month ago | theworld.org | Shirin Jaafari

For many people in Gaza, this year’s Ramadan, which goes through March 29, is different — because they are observing the holy month without the loved ones they lost in the war between Israel and Hamas. Hundreds of Palestinians joined together in Rafah earlier this week for the iftar meal to break their fast during the holy month. But the city is in ruins, a stark reminder that it was a battlefield only weeks ago, and food was scarce.

1 month ago | theworld.org | Shirin Jaafari

Sophie Javadi-Babreh grew up surrounded by carpets. They were so much a part of her life that she even refers to them as her brothers and sisters. “It’s like … they’re colorful, the patterns and the touch of them. They were really enjoyable to be around,” she said. Sophie and her brother, Hugo Javadi-Babreh, spent hours playing on them. The piles of rolled-up carpets made great jumping pads. “We lived, danced and sometimes even slept on rugs,” Sophie recalled of her childhood.

2 months ago | play.prx.org | Shirin Jaafari

February 17, 20259min 3sec8.7 MB February 17, 20257min 21sec7.08 MB February 17, 20254min 8sec3.99 MB February 17, 20254min 14sec4.08 MB February 17, 20258min 4sec7.76 MB February 17, 20252min 27sec2.36 MB February 17, 20253min 26sec3.31 MB February 17, 20254min 25sec4.26 MB February 14, 20255min 42sec2.74 MB February 14, 20257min 11sec3.45 MB February 14, 20251min 16sec615.2 kB February 14, 20253min 52sec1.86 MB February 14, 20255min 15sec2.53 MB February 14, 20254min 48sec2.31 MB February...

Jan 24, 2025 | theworld.org | Shirin Jaafari

Sixty-one-year-old Adel Labad stood on top of a pile of rubble where his home once stood. All that was left was scraps of broken concrete and twisted rebar, or reinforcing steel. Shaking his head in disbelief, he searched for anything he could salvage — family photos, children’s textbooks, a pillow — finally giving up the search. “Where are the houses? Where are the streets? Where are the trees? Where are the animals? Where are the people we love?” he asked. Nothing is salvageable, he said.