Iranian protesters who escaped tell CBS News war has made things worse

Erbil, Iraq — As hopes for a deal between the U.S. and Iran to end the war, now in its 90th day, rise and fall, there's little indication that the oppressive regime that's ruled over the country for almost half a century is going anywhere soon. As rights groups warn of a dramatic rise in executions, some Iranians fear the Islamic Republic, rather than being toppled, may become more brutal. After taking part in two rounds of anti-government protests, Karvan, 22, and his brother Kavian, who's two years younger, finally made the decision to leave Iran on May 13, after living in hiding for months. They left everything behind — family, friends and their university studies. "Our lives were in danger. If we had stayed, we would have faced jail and execution," Karvan told CBS News in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region, where the brothers have taken refuge. "During the war, the situation was chaotic, but after the ceasefire the regime became even more extreme against the people," Kavian added. Iranian brothers Kavian and Karvan speak with CBS News in Erbil, Iraq, May 26, 2026. CBS News The young men, whose full names CBS News is not using to protect their families and associates still in Iran, said they took part in 2022 in the "Woman, Life, Freedom" demonstrations . Those protests were sparked by the killing of Mahsa Amini in police custody. …