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Long lines at gas stations and bakeries. Traffic jams filled with cars trying to flee the capital. Worrisome, sleepless nights.
Tehran’s residents, reeling from Israel’s unexpected assault early Friday, express fear and confusion, grappling with feelings of vulnerability and mixed emotions.
“Nights without sleep,” shared a 21-year-old music student over a secure messaging app.
“People are leaving, but not me. My father believes it’s more honorable to face danger in our home than to escape.”
‘Donya,’ reluctant to share her real name, represents many Iranians caught between a government they oppose and Israel, whose devastating impact in Gaza she has observed from a distance.
“I truly hope Tehran doesn’t resemble Gaza,” she stated.
In response to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s call for Iranians to rise against their clerical leaders, she firmly replied.
“We don’t seek Israel’s intervention for salvation. No external nation has ever cared for Iran,” she remarked. “Nor do we desire the Islamic Republic.”
Another woman expressed her initial “strange exhilaration” at witnessing Israel target significant Iranian military figures, figures she believed were invulnerable.
“That perception of power abruptly crumbled,” she told BBC Persian.
“But once I learned that ordinary people – like myself – were also perishing, I felt grief, apprehension, and sadness starting to wash over me.”
She further noted her anger grew upon hearing of attacks on the South Pars gas field, fearing Israel aims to reduce Iran to “ashes.”
For the first time, she mentioned, the prospect of her own mortality has begun to weigh on her.
More than 220 individuals, including women and children, have reportedly lost their lives since Friday, according to Iranian officials.
Israeli reports indicate that Iranian missiles have claimed at least 24 lives in Israel during the same timeframe.
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Unlike in Israel, warnings of impending assaults are unheard in Iran, nor are there shelters accessible.
Missiles rain down, while media reports of car bomb attacks in Tehran amplify the chaos.
Even regime supporters have expressed discontent over its defenses being so unmasked.
Trust in the authorities is notably low among many Iranians.
Donya previously rebelled against the regime’s dress codes, often stepping out without her hair covered.
Now, as her university exams are postponed, she chooses to stay indoors.
“Nights terrify me,” she confessed. “I take medication to calm down and hope to sleep.”
Government guidance suggests seeking refuge in mosques or metro stations.
However, it’s challenging when threats seem to emerge from nowhere.
“Tehran is expansive, yet every neighborhood has felt the effects of the damage,” shared another young woman with BBC Persian.
“Right now, we simply monitor the news hourly and reach out to friends and family in affected areas to ensure they’re alive.”
She and her family have shifted to a location away from known government sites.
Yet, in a nation like Iran, it’s uncertain who your neighbors are.
The Israeli offensive has polarized opinions among Iranians; some celebrate the regime’s setbacks while others protest those applauding Israel.
Many individuals frequently reassess their stances. Family divisions are heightened.
“It feels akin to the initial moments after the Titanic struck the iceberg,” remarked one woman.
“Some sought to escape, others dismissed it as minor, while some continued dancing.”
While she has always opposed Iran’s clerical authority, she views Netanyahu’s actions toward her nation as “unforgivable”.
“Everyone’s existence, regardless of their sentiments about the attacks, has been irrevocably altered.
“Most Iranians, even government opponents, have come to understand that true liberty and human rights aren’t granted through Israeli assaults on civilian cities.”
She continued: “Many of us are frightened and anxious about what lies ahead. We’ve prepared emergency bags with essentials, food, and water in case the situation deteriorates.”
Israel claims the Iranian military has voluntarily positioned its command posts and arms within civilian sectors.
Concerns extend to members of Iran’s vast diaspora.
“It’s challenging to express the experience of being Iranian at this moment,” stated Dorreh Khatibi-Hill, a women’s rights advocate and researcher based in Leeds, who maintains contact with family, friends, and anti-regime activists.
“There’s a sense of relief witnessing regime members – who have inflicted torture and death upon people – being removed.
“Yet, awareness of civilian casualties clouds that relief. It’s a heartbreaking humanitarian crisis.”
Furthermore, Iranians are not receiving reliable updates about the circumstances.
“The supreme leader remains unharmed while Iranians flee for their lives,” she added.
“None of us desire Iran to become a replica of Iraq, Syria, or Afghanistan. We oppose this war. We reject the regime too.”