The hidden mental health crisis among NZ-Iranians: Suicide attempts, abuse and community in trauma

PremiumOpinionOpinion byMehrdad Soltanifar and Dr. Vahid MomtazNZ Herald·18 Jun, 2026 02:10 AM7 mins to readThe Iranian community in New Zealand is experiencing a mental health crisis due to events in Iran. Photo / 123rf

For many New Zealanders, the events unfolding in Iran are distant headlines appearing briefly on television screens or social media feeds. For the Iranian community living in New Zealand, however, these events are deeply personal. They are not stories about strangers in a faraway country. They are stories about parents,