Ali-Asghar Seidabadi says, “I have lived 200 years compressed into 50.” In his childhood, there was no television, electricity, or telephone in his village, while today he is an active participant in the digital world. He was born in a village in northeastern Iran as the eldest child in a large family with six siblings. At the beginning of his teenage years, he moved to a boarding school in Neyshابur to continue his education, a school located beside the tomb of Omar Khayyam in one of Iran’s oldest gardens.
Three years later, at the age of fifteen, he altered his birth certificate in order to join the Iran–Iraq War fronts. He spent nearly a year, intermittently, at the front lines, with the final months coinciding with the ceasefire and the presence of United Nations forces. The experience of living in a boarding school, growing up in the shadow of Khayyam, and witnessing war firsthand profoundly shaped his personality and worldview. His commitment to nonviolence and his opposition to war emerge directly from those formative experiences.
During the 1990s, widely regarded as the golden age of Iranian journalism, Seidabadi became a well-known figure in Iran’s cultural and journalistic spheres. He was responsible for the culture, arts, and thought sections of several widely read reformist newspapers and later became a member of their editorial boards. Alongside his journalistic work, he wrote books for children and young adults and conducted research in children’s literature, reading promotion, and cultural studies.
About fifteen years ago, he stepped away from professional journalism and pursued diverse experiences ranging from cultural management to research and education. He now lives in Tehran and works full-time as a writer and researcher. During the American and Israeli attacks on Tehran, he remained in the city, witnessing events from a perspective shaped by his unique experiences of war, culture, and social life. His reflections offer a rare and deeply human perspective on violence, society, and the fate of contemporary humanity.
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When the Sparrows Grow Anxious: Diaries from Tehran at War (HARD COVER)
When the Sparrows Grow Anxious: Diaries from Tehran at War is an intimate, humane and urgent record of ordinary life under bombardment.
“Profound, passionate, poetic, this important book takes us deep into the realities of daily life, in Tehran, now, in 2026. From the vivid title, When the Sparrows grow Anxious, we know we are in the hands of a thoughtful writer who walks us on a journey far beyond our often superficial knowledge of Tehran at War.
Behind the promises of posturing politicians, news reports and sound bites, here is the reality. We are invited to hear voices of people of peace caught up in this war. Despite the tragedies of deaths, injury, destruction, in this beautiful, diverse and complex country, the essential message is one of hope for peace.
As families and friends gather together in homes or outdoors, to share talk and meals, the sense of their courage is strong. The beauty of this place is celebrated alongside the documenting of almost daily attacks.
The over-arching message is of hope and prayers that peace will return. Birdsong and breaking of bread are metaphors of resilience. I think it will be one of the books that will change my life. Essential reading for these times.” Liz Fincham
Written by acclaimed Iranian author, researcher and cultural figure Ali Asghar Seidabadi, this diary-style work offers a rare human account of Tehran during war, internet disruption and uncertainty.