War forces Iranians to take buses home from Turkey
On a busy motorway in central Istanbul's Aksaray area, white coaches printed with Farsi slogans stood parked at the side of the road on Friday as travellers milled about smoking and drinking from bottles of water before taking their seats for the 36-hour ride to Tehran.
'It's their home, what would you do if something like this happened in your country? You would want to go home,' says Abofazl, a coach driver from northern Iran.
He was making his third such journey after Israel began launching attacks attack on Iran on June 13, forcing the closure of airspace across the region.
'I am sad, it's my country," he told The National."They don't care about the Iranian people. They are doing this for their own benefit."
Iran has retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at Israel, and the death toll and destruction on both sides continues to rise.
With airline services cancelled, Iranians are taking the overland route home from Turkey through one of the three crossing points along its 534km border with Iran.
According to travel company managers who spoke to The National, thousands of Iranians have made the journey already, paying between 4,000-5,000 Turkish lira ($100-126) for a ticket.
Nazmi Guven, a tourism and travel manager in Aksaray, said hundreds of Iranians had taken coaches home each day in the past week.
'It was 400-500 people a day at the beginning of the week, now it's a bit less,' he told The National, as a worker beside him filled out a passenger manifest and fixed stickers to the back of each traveller's passport.
Passengers milled around travel company offices, whose windows were filled with signs offering 'VIP' services, including coaches with Wi-Fi and beds. Many suitcases bore airport luggage tags, suggesting their owners were not returning home the same way they came.
In interviews, Iranians said they wanted to go home to be with their families, especially because internet shutdowns in Iran had made remote communication difficult. The majority of Iranian internet users had been without a connection for 36 hours, the London-based NetBlocks internet observatory group said on Friday morning. Most Iranians who spoke to The National did not want their names and personal information revealed, because of the sensitivity around talking to journalists.
I don't know what will happen, but if it escalates more then at least I am there.
Iranian in Turkey returning home via land border
A painter in his 20s who has been living in Turkey for eight years said he was going back to Golestan, a region on Iran's border with Turkmenistan, to be with his family.
'I am only going back because of the war,' he told The National. 'I haven't been able to speak to my family for a week. My wife and parents didn't tell me to come back, I wanted to go back.
"I don't know what will happen, but if it escalates more then at least I am there.'
Iranians described relief at being able to return home to see their families, but also apprehension over an unknown future.
One of the waiting passengers said he arrived in Istanbul from Australia at 5am on June 13, planning to take a flight onwards to Iran to visit family members in Tabriz whom he had not seen in years. Just as he arrived, Israel began striking Iran, and the airspace was closed. A week later, the man in his 40s, who declined to give his name, is making the trip by coach.
'I am planning to spend just a few days in Iran. I feel stressed, confused, I don't know what is happening,' he said. Asked what he would do if he could not leave Iran, he replied, 'I honestly don't know.'
Some of the Iranians going home were on holiday in Turkey. It is one of the few countries that Iranians can enter visa-free, and 3.3 million visited the country last year, according to Turkish government statistics. Other Iranians were abroad elsewhere when the conflict broke out. Their original travel plans foiled by airspace closures, they found themselves rerouted through Turkey instead.
Wearing a blue tropical print shirt, a 35-year-old chemical engineer from Shiraz said he was on holiday in Malaysia and Singapore when the Israel strikes began. His flight home through Sharjah in the UAE was cancelled, forcing him to take the land route home from Turkey instead.
'The bus journey is so long,' he said as he waited for his coach to depart. 'I feel like a homeless person.'
For some, the war has prompted them to return home permanently after living and working in Turkey for many years. According to Turkish migration authorities, 74,000 Iranians have residency permits in the country.
'This is the end of my time in Turkey; it's a good thing,' a carpenter in his 20s from the north-eastern city of Gonbad-e Qabus told The National with a smile.
'I am far away from my family. It has become much more expensive here. It's not good,' he said. A loaf of bread that cost 1.5 lira when he arrived before the coronavirus pandemic has gone up to as much as 50 lira, he added. 'Even if we lose our work, we are going back to Iran.'
Even those Iranians who do not support their Islamist government opposed Israel's strikes on their country, which have killed many civilians besides senior military leaders and nuclear scientists. Many see indifference towards Iranians' suffering, or outright support for Israel, from western government officials.
'Israel, the UK and US don't care about the Iranian people's interests, they are looking out for their own interests - oil, gas and economic interests,' said Mr Sheikh, the travel company manager, said. 'Their hearts aren't bleeding for us."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UAE Moments
an hour ago
- UAE Moments
Two Dubai Restaurants Make it to World's 50 Best Restaurants
Two Dubai-based restaurants made it to the 2025 World's 50 Best Restaurants, and they are Tresind Studio and Orfali Bros. The annual list was revealed in Turin, Italy. Tresind Studio ranked 27th in the list, while Orfali Bros ranked 37th. Both restaurants had made it to the list last year, with Tresind ranking 13th and Orfali ranking 64th. Both restaurants are the only restaurants from the Middle East to make it to the list this year. This ranking follows Tresind Studio earning its third Michelin star in May this year. Tresind is an Indian-fusion restaurant run by head chef Himanshu Saini, which is located on the Palm Jumeirah.
UAE Moments
an hour ago
- UAE Moments
US Airlines Cut Gulf Routes Amid Regional Tensions
American Airlines and United Airlines have suspended their Gulf routes due to escalating tensions in the Middle East. The move marks the first time major U.S. carriers have paused services to key transit hubs like Doha and Dubai, raising concerns among travelers and industry insiders. American Airlines Suspends Philadelphia–Doha Route American Airlines has suspended its daily flight from Philadelphia to Doha, Qatar. The last flight departed from Doha early Thursday, and service is paused until at least June 22. The decision follows a security advisory from the U.S. Embassy in Qatar, which urged American citizens to remain vigilant, avoid demonstrations and large gatherings, and keep a low profile. In a statement, American Airlines said: 'We will continue to monitor the situation with safety and security top of mind and will adjust our operation further as needed.' United Airlines Halts Newark–Dubai Service United Airlines also announced it has paused its daily Newark–Dubai flights. The airline stated it would resume the service only 'when it's safe.' This follows earlier suspensions of Tel Aviv routes by both United and Delta, after Israel launched airstrikes against Iran earlier this month. Major Hubs Affected for the First Time This is the first time the aviation disruption caused by the Israel–Iran conflict has affected regional transit giants like Dubai and Doha. These hubs are vital for long-haul flights connecting the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Air France-KLM and Air Canada have also canceled multiple flights to Gulf destinations this week, including Dubai and Riyadh, signaling a wider trend of caution among global carriers. Airspace Disruptions Continue Airspace closures reached a peak on Friday. Israel halted all overflights, and Iran temporarily shut down operations at Tehran's main airport. Other countries in the region, like Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon, have been alternating between opening and closing their airspace as tensions evolve. Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Qatar reported temporary restrictions on access to Al Udeid Air Base, a key U.S. and allied military facility in the region. What This Means for Travelers If you're traveling to or through the Middle East in the coming weeks, be sure to double-check your flight status and monitor embassy advisories. Airlines are expected to resume services only when the regional situation stabilizes.
UAE Moments
an hour ago
- UAE Moments
Pinay Flying High: How a Filipina Built a Travel Life Abroad
When most people imagine a travel influencer's life, they see curated Instagram feeds and luxury destinations. But for Noemi, the woman behind Pinay Flying High, the journey started with a BS Tourism degree, a leap of faith at 23, and a one-way ticket to Dubai. Finding Her Wings in Dubai Born and raised in the Philippines as the youngest of four, Noemi knew early on that she wanted more than the traditional path. At 23, she broke away from her close-knit Filipino family and moved to Dubai after landing a job with Emirates as a travel agent. For seven years, she lived and worked in the UAE—soaking in not just the travel perks, but also the cultural shock, the heat, and the lessons that came with being an OFW. Catching the Travel Bug Early Noemi's love for travel didn't start in Dubai. She began backpacking at age five with her aunt around the Philippines. That early exposure to adventure grew stronger over the years and evolved into a lifestyle. Today, she continues to explore the world—now with her husband, fondly called 'The Greek Mister,' by her side. Together, they plan at least two trips a year, balancing time between Greece, the Philippines, the U.S., and occasional personal holidays. Living Across Continents After Dubai, Noemi relocated to Doha, Qatar for her husband's work. While she expected to dislike it, she was surprised by how well she adjusted. Eventually, though, the couple decided they'd had enough of the Middle East's harsh climate and made their way to the UK, settling in Kingston-Upon-Thames, London. Now based in the UK, Noemi's blog covers London life, European travel guides, and honest reflections on expat living—from cultural adjustments to finding joy in the city's abundance of trees. Navigating Interracial Marriage Married to a Greek man, Noemi shares the ups and downs of intercultural marriage—from language barriers to clashing food preferences. Her posts often highlight the humor and heart in dealing with these differences—though her husband isn't always thrilled when he's mentioned! Despite struggling to learn Greek, she proudly admits she knows all the important 'bad words'—and is still working on mastering the gestures to match. Building Her Platform What started as a personal blog turned into a platform that connects, inspires, and entertains. Pinay Flying High isn't just a travel blog—it's a glimpse into the real life of a Filipina who carved out a life abroad on her own terms.
