As horrific details of the Iranian government’s crackdown on protesters emerge – with internal estimates of the death toll at more than 10,000 – the country’s young, wealthy elite continue to flaunt their lavish lifestyles online as they have for years, fanning further outrage as if the country is not on the verge of collapse outside its bubble of privilege.
Repressive regimes can “carry out genocide under the cover of digital darkness” under enforced internet blackouts, according to an outraged expert, who is said to have observed “wealthy Iranians” partying in a nightclub at a popular holiday hotspot on the Turkish border.
Ella Rosenberg, a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs, told The Times of London: “Their lifestyle angers Iranian citizens, especially those in Generation Z among their peers, mainly because they see the lifestyle of these rich kids – they don’t take responsibility for anything they do.”
The insane wealth of Iran’s young elite first came to global attention more than a decade ago through the Instagram account @richkidsoftehran. Instagram/therichkidsoftehran
Most are the children of Iran’s ruling class and have lived a hedonistic lifestyle for decades, but their eye-popping wealth has become more apparent in recent years as the government temporarily loosened its grip on the internet and social media before the current unrest began.
“They are the equivalent of Iran’s ‘Gossip Girl’: driving limousines and living in luxurious high-rises in northern Tehran,” Rosenberg said.
Anahid Hoseini, whose husband is the son of Iran’s ambassador to Denmark, has more than 1.7 million followers, thanks to enviable photos of her wearing designer handbags and jewelry. Instagram/anashidhoseini
The wealth of Iran’s young elite first attracted global attention more than a decade ago with the Instagram handle @richkidsoftehran.
“It depicts seemingly affluent teenagers showing off Rolex watches, Porsches and Maseratis, sprawling estates and expensive clothing,” The Washington Post reported in 2014.
The Instagram account is still active and currently has 477,000 followers.
Iran’s uprising is driven by widespread poverty, inequality and class oppression – and the country’s wealthy elite adds fuel to the fire by flaunting their lavish lifestyles online.
In 2024, glamorous photos were no longer shared on the account—six new posts related to current events have appeared since January 9, referring to the government as “the regime”—but other well-connected and well-funded Iranians have become influencers in their own right.
Anahid Hoseini, whose husband is the son of Iran’s ambassador to Denmark, has more than 1.7 million followers, thanks to enviable photos of her wearing designer handbags and jewelry.
Husseini reportedly lives in Nyavaran, a wealthy neighborhood in northern Tehran, but she has not posted on her account in nearly a month.
Hosseini has not posted on her account for nearly a month. Instagram/anashidhoseini
It was unclear whether she stayed in Iran during the unrest, but many people have fled the country in recent weeks, seeking asylum in the Turkish province of Van, about 60 miles from the Iranian border.
According to the Daily Telegraph, it is said to be a popular resort for wealthy Iranians, and it is reported that the venue is crowded with wealthy people, and the cost of admission and drinks can easily exceed $100.
“These people benefited from this regime. They left Iran temporarily because they were worried about staying there. Here they can feel safe,” an Iranian at the club told the newspaper.
Sasha Sobhani, the son of the former Iranian ambassador to Venezuela, became a social media star showcasing his expat life in Spain, where he moved in 2019. Instagram/sasha_sohbani
Sobani has amassed millions of followers on Instagram, showing off his expat life in Spain. Instagram/sasha_sohbani
Other young and well-connected Iranians have long since left their homeland, but still fuel the anger of the less affluent citizens who remain.
Sasha Sobhani, the son of the former Iranian ambassador to Venezuela, became a social media star showcasing his expat life in Spain, where he moved in 2019.
Sobani has since denounced Iran after photos showed him surrounded by scantily clad women and luxury sports cars.
However, the country is seeking his extradition after accusing him of money laundering and operating an illegal website.
The current uprising, which broke out on December 28, has turned into the most serious threat to Iran’s clerical rulers since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
In a country already crushed by poverty and inequality, a collapsing economy is largely behind Iran’s uprising.
The regime responded with overwhelming force, deploying the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its Basij militia to quell the unrest, according to human rights groups and witnesses.
According to CBS News, sources in Iran estimate that at least 12,000 people, and possibly as many as 20,000, were killed in the unrest.
Tehran fiercely disputes the figures and blames the bloodshed on so-called “armed rioters” and “terrorists” backed by foreign powers such as the United States and Israel.
