Arabic version: إيران تواجه الفوضى مع ردود فعل مختلطة بين المواطنين بعد الضربات
According to BBC News,
It was around 09:40 local time (06:10 GMT) on Saturday when Iranians in several cities reported hearing loud explosions. Videos circulating on social media show people near the blast sites running in panic, with the sounds of screams and crying in the background. But, at the same time, there appears to be a sense of relief and celebration among those who believe the regime’s downfall can only come through military intervention, says BBC Persian.
Iranians woke up on Sunday to confirmation that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei – who ruled Iran for more than 36 years – was killed in US and Israeli strikes launched a day ago. His death was first announced by US President Donald Trump, and then by Iranian state media. “I can’t believe it. It’s like when they give you such a good news that you don’t even know what to do,” one person in the capital Tehran told BBC Persian. “I couldn’t sleep all night, I’m just waiting to start the first day without Khamenei in it. I think the Middle East has become a better place. Even the world has become a better place now.”
Others are also glad. In one video from Saturday, a woman speaks with unmistakable relief, saying Khamenei’s residence had been hit. Another clip shows teenagers at a school dancing and chanting that the strikes have happened, adding, “I love Trump.” Many people had been anticipating a possible US attack. Since Friday night, long queues have formed at petrol stations, and many residents of the capital, Tehran, have begun leaving the city for the north, near the Caspian Sea, which they believe is safer.
With Iran coming under an almost total internet blackout since the attacks started, it has been difficult to contact anyone inside the country. Some people briefly managed to access the internet using methods such as SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet and virtual private networks, and may be able to do so again. Many residents have begun heading north from Tehran.
The BBC has, however, been able to reach a number of pro-regime figures who spoke about the situation in Tehran. “We have heard lots of explosions. I live in middle of Tehran,” one of them told BBC Newshour. “This was a normal day until the United States and Israel started attacking the city. Our children have gone to a school in the morning. We had to go and get the children.” Another told the BBC Weekend programme he heard fighter jets and two explosions early on Saturday morning from his office in the north of the city. The atmosphere was tense and there was a sense of war in the air. He said that people were shopping and stocking up on canned food.
While some Iranians welcomed the strikes as a necessary step towards regime change, others feared that the military action could lead to increased brutality from the government. Concerns were raised about the potential loss of civilian lives, particularly after reports of an Israeli strike on a girls’ school that allegedly resulted in numerous casualties, although these reports remain unverified. The complex emotions surrounding the strikes highlight the deep divisions within Iranian society regarding the future of their country.
