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Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
In Tehran, Iranians brace for what's next in unpredictable war
It started with her neighbor frantically knocking on her front door panicking at the sound of explosions. Then she taped her windows to prevent them from shattering and packed an emergency backpack. By Tuesday, Neda was on a gridlocked highway, joining thousands of other Tehranis trying to flee the Iranian capital. Their aim was to find somewhere more remote where they wouldn't be near any of the hundreds of sites that Israel might target. "My biggest fear is the uncertainty and the ambiguity of it all," Neda, 35, said by social media chat from a suburb on the outskirts of northern Tehran. "Will this go on for a week or for eight years? Will we have to keep on improvising life one day at a time?" For the past five days, Israel has subjected Iran to its worst military attack since the Islamic Republic was invaded by neighboring Iraq in 1980. What's clear in the metropolis of 10 million people, is that people don't expect things to be the same again in a country whose leadership is hobbled and its economy shattered. A snapshot of the mood among people contacted in Tehran suggests they expect the regime will be weakened further, but it won't be toppled. Neda, for one, said she's no supporter of the Iranian leadership, but right now her ire is directed at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Whenever the conflict ends, though, major reforms will be inevitable, said Cyrus Razzaghi, president and chief executive of Tehran-based consultancy Ara Enterprise. That firstly would mean an overhaul of a fragmented intelligence apparatus that's repeatedly failed to intercept clandestine Israeli operations on Iranian soil that include successive, audacious strikes killing the country's top military and security officials. "The Islamic Republic won't emerge from this conflict unchanged," Razzaghi said. "Even if regime change is unlikely in the near term, significant internal shifts are expected once the dust settles." U.S. President Donald Trump's increasingly bellicose rhetoric - on Tuesday he told Iranians to evacuate Tehran and demanded surrender - is fanning concerns that the U.S. will join Israel's assault. Netanyahu has said he is targeting the establishment of the Islamic Republic, not just its nuclear facilities, which he's threatened to strike for years. He's appealed directly to the Iranian public, encouraging them to see his attack as an opportunity for them to oust their oppressive rulers. His military offensive has so far killed 224 Iranians, most of them civilians, according to Iran's government. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Islamist system of rule that he's fortified around himself have faced unprecedented levels of unpopularity in recent years. They've been challenged by some of the biggest protests since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Their demands have been ignored and the authorities have mostly doubled down on their intolerance for any dissent. But for now, it's Netanyahu who is the target of the anger among Iranians. "I can't talk for most people but I can talk about most of the people I'm in contact with and I'm certain they share this feeling I have, that with every word he says I feel this boiling rage inside of me," Neda said of Israel's prime minister. "My deep hatred for him is increasing." Khamenei's removal could make Iran more confrontational as younger, more ideological officials rise through the ranks of various institutions and try to project the country's strength, according to Dina Esfandiary, a Middle East analyst at Bloomberg Economics. Targeting Khamenei would also bolster the surge of nationalistic feeling that has begun to emerge since Israel's strikes, she wrote. The question is whether that feeling is enough to offset the deep polarization that's afflicted Iran for years and the anger with which many view the powerful clerical-military cadre that controls the country. At the moment, there are some sure signs of stubborn resistance. A news anchor of Iranian state television, for example, was heralded by the government for continuing to broadcast during a bombing raid as smoke and dust filled the studio. But with an economy battered by years of trade embargoes, sanctions and endemic mismanagement, any patience left could quickly run out. Nazanine, a 55-year-old finance officer at a marketing company, is appalled by Netanyahu, though has opposed the Iranian leadership for years. "My hatred for Netanyahu and the Islamic Republic is the same," she said. "I'm sick of them both." An Israeli and Western intelligence assessment seen by Bloomberg suggested that the war could lead to an economic collapse and inflation of 80%, if not higher. That, according to the report, would likely social discontent and challenge the stability of the ruling regime. Currently Iran's inflation rate is around 43%, one of the highest in the world, according to the International Monetary Fund. Underscoring a reliance on petrodollars, the country needs an oil price of $163 a barrel - more than double's today's level of around $75 - to balance its budget, according to calculations by the Fund. There are already signs of pain. Since Friday, the rial has weakened more than 10% against the dollar on the black market, according to a site that tracks the currency's street value. For Nazanine, the first task is to confront the shock of having to flee her city. She lives in a wealthy northern Tehran neighborhood that's been targeted several times by Israel. Her apartment overlooks the now bombed out multistory residence of top Khamenei aide, Ali Shamkhani. Shamkhani survived the attack and is being treated in hospital, the state-run Nour News reported on Monday without giving details of his injuries. "I was awake when it all happened," she said from the relative safety of the countryside on the outskirts of Tehran. "It feels like a real war." --------- -With assistance from Rachel Lavin and Alberto Nardelli. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Panic in Tehran as Israel–Iran war enters next phase: Trump eyes U.S. response amid rising global fears
What's happening in Tehran as Israel–Iran war intensifies? Live Events Why are thousands of Iranians fleeing Tehran right now? How is Trump responding to the Israel–Iran crisis? How is Israel's attack affecting Iran's leadership and security? Is public anger in Iran now focused more on Israel than on their own government? What's the global fallout from the Israel–Iran conflict? Could this war push Iran's economy to the brink of collapse? What does this mean for the future of Iran's leadership? What happens next for the people of Iran? FAQs: (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel As Tehran braces for war, thousands of residents are now fleeing the Iranian capital in search of safety, fearing more Israeli military strikes. Since Friday, Israel has launched what many describe as Iran's worst military assault since the 1980s Iran-Iraq war, with attacks targeting top officials and major locations. With the economy already in crisis and leadership under severe pressure, uncertainty looms large over Iran's future.U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly weighing a potential military response as the situation threatens to engulf the region and disrupt global markets. With oil prices spiking and world leaders watching closely, the Israel–Iran war has become a crisis that could shape international politics for years to one of the world's largest and most densely populated cities, is witnessing visible signs of panic. According to multiple reports, long lines have formed outside gas stations, supermarkets, and pharmacies. Residents fear an Israeli airstrike or a regional escalation involving the United fear isn't unfounded. On June 17, Israel reportedly expanded its air operations, targeting key military installations inside Iran. Although Iran's defense systems intercepted some of the strikes, others caused localized damage and sparked widespread fear among authorities have placed Tehran and other major cities on high alert. Government buildings and military zones have been fortified, while emergency sirens and blackout drills are being run at fear in Tehran is palpable. On Tuesday, 35-year-old Neda joined a traffic-choked highway heading out of the city. Her goal: to escape potential Israeli airstrikes targeting military and government sites.'It all started with explosions,' Neda shared through a social media chat from northern Tehran. 'I taped my windows and packed an emergency bag. Then I left.'Tehran, a city of around 10 million people, is now gripped by fear, confusion, and despair. As Israel ramps up its assault—reportedly killing 224 Iranians, most of them civilians, according to Iranian authorities—residents are bracing for Donald Trump is currently reviewing military options, according to sources close to the administration. This includes deploying naval and air support in the Persian Gulf and enhancing the U.S. military presence in Iraq and Kuwait. As of June 18, the Pentagon has not confirmed direct military involvement, but intelligence officials suggest preparations are underway for possible intervention if the situation deteriorates who recently returned from a G7 summit in Italy, told reporters, 'The United States stands with Israel and will respond appropriately to any threat against our allies.'His national security team, including Defense Secretary Tom Cotton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have reportedly been in continuous contact with Israeli defense leaders since the strikes began last Israeli offensive has exposed deep cracks in Iran's intelligence and defense operations. Multiple high-ranking Iranian military and intelligence officials have been targeted or killed in recent strikes, and that's raising tough questions inside the Razzaghi, CEO of Tehran-based consultancy Ara Enterprise, says internal changes are inevitable. 'Even if the regime survives, reforms—especially within the intelligence sector—are unavoidable,' he told Bloomberg. 'This war will change the Islamic Republic.'President Netanyahu has made it clear that his military objectives go beyond Iran's nuclear sites. He aims to directly hit the core of the Islamic Republic's power structure—a message he's taken straight to the Iranian public, urging them to rise against their no. While dissatisfaction with the ruling regime is high and ongoing, Israel's recent attacks have shifted much of the immediate public anger.'My hatred for Netanyahu is growing,' said Neda. 'He's fueling all of this chaos. We were already suffering.'The sentiment is echoed by Nazanin, a 55-year-old finance officer from northern Tehran. Her apartment complex, located near the now-destroyed home of Ali Shamkhani, a senior aide to Supreme Leader Khamenei, was recently hit by an Israeli strike.'I've never supported the Islamic Republic,' she said, 'but now I feel the same hatred for both Netanyahu and the regime. I'm just tired.'The impact of the Israel–Iran war is already being felt far beyond the Middle East. On June 18, global oil prices surged by over, reachingfor Brent crude—the highest since early 2022. Markets across Asia and Europe dipped amid fears of prolonged instability in the have rerouted dozens of international flights to avoid Iranian and Israeli airspace. Lufthansa, Emirates, and Air India all confirmed cancellations or diversions. Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council has scheduled an emergency session to discuss the growing and China have called for restraint, with Chinese President Xi Jinping urging all sides to 'avoid actions that could spark a larger regional war.' The U.S., however, continues to emphasize its 'unshakable' support for Israel, especially following Iran's alleged involvement in an earlier drone attack that damaged Israeli defense economy, already in crisis due to years of U.S. sanctions, oil dependency, and mismanagement, is now to Bloomberg, a joint Israeli and Western intelligence assessment warns that if the war continues, inflation in Iran could skyrocket to 80% or higher. That could spark widespread the inflation rate in Iran sits around 43%, one of the highest globally (IMF data). The Iranian rial has already dropped over 10% in value on the black market since Friday, as reported by national budget is also heavily strained. According to IMF estimates, Iran needs oil prices at $163 per barrel to balance its finances. With current oil prices hovering around $75, this shortfall only deepens the outcome of this conflict could reshape Iran's leadership, but not necessarily in the way many expect. Experts believe that if Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei were removed or weakened, younger and more hardline figures could take his Esfandiary, a Middle East analyst at Bloomberg Economics, warns that targeting Khamenei might actually fuel nationalism and provoke even more aggressive posturing from Iran's next generation of now, the leadership remains unshaken publicly. Iranian state media even praised a news anchor for continuing to broadcast through bombing raids, showcasing the state's desire to project many ordinary Iranians, the situation is about basic survival. They're packing up, leaving homes behind, and trying to navigate a conflict they had no say in. The psychological toll is mounting as fast as the economic one.'This is no longer just about politics or ideology,' said Nazanin from her temporary refuge outside Tehran. 'It's about staying alive. It feels like a real war now—and no one knows how or when it will end.'As Tehran faces its most volatile moment in decades, the uncertainty is suffocating. Whether or not the regime survives this military and economic storm, Iran will not emerge unchanged. With a collapsing economy, rising nationalist fervor, and a deeply divided society, the path ahead looks difficult—and dangerously residents fear more Israeli strikes, so many are escaping to safer rural is already at 43% and could rise to 80%, pushing Iran toward economic collapse.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Israeli strikes on Iran stoke fury, uncertainty in Tehran: ‘it feels like a real war'
It started with her neighbour frantically knocking on her front door, panicking at the sound of explosions. Then she taped her windows to prevent them from shattering and packed an emergency backpack. By Tuesday, Neda was on a gridlocked highway, joining thousands of other Tehranis trying to flee the Iranian capital. Their aim was to find somewhere more remote where they would not be near any of the hundreds of sites that Israel might target. 'My biggest fear is the uncertainty and the ambiguity of it all,' Neda, 35, said by social media chat from a suburb on the outskirts of northern Tehran. 'Will this go on for a week or for eight years? Will we have to keep on improvising life one day at a time?' For the past five days, Israel has subjected Iran to its worst military attack since the Islamic republic was invaded by neighbouring Iraq in 1980. What is clear in the metropolis of 10 million people is that people do not expect things to be the same again in a country whose leadership is hobbled and its economy shattered. A snapshot of the mood among people contacted in Tehran suggests they expect the regime will be weakened further, but it will not be toppled. Neda, for one, said she is no supporter of the Iranian leadership, but right now her ire is directed at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Whenever the conflict ends, though, major reforms will be inevitable, said Cyrus Razzaghi, president and CEO of Tehran-based consultancy Ara Enterprise.
Bloomberg
5 days ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
In Tehran, Iranians Brace for What's Next in Unpredictable War
Politics Middle East With their economy on its knees and a weakened leadership, people in the capital don't expect things to be the same again. It started with her neighbor frantically knocking on her front door panicking at the sound of explosions. Then she taped her windows to prevent them from shattering and packed an emergency backpack. By Tuesday, Neda was on a gridlocked highway, joining thousands of other Tehranis trying to flee the Iranian capital. Their aim was to find somewhere more remote where they wouldn't be near any of the hundreds of sites that Israel might target.
Ya Libnan
6 days ago
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
Panic in Tehran: Exodus as Israel strikes for a fourth day
Panic-stricken residents began fleeing Tehran on Sunday as Israeli strikes and air defense fire rocked the city, sending thick plumes of smoke into the skyline of a capital unprepared for war. The latest wave of Israeli airstrikes, which began at midday, followed hours after a warning from Israel's Ministry of Defense urging civilians to avoid areas near military and weapons facilities. The attacks have sparked deep anxiety across Tehran, a city already struggling under energy shortages and economic malaise before the conflict. 'I can't think straight. I'm packing as we speak. The whole city is under attack and the roads out are jam-packed with cars,' said Neda, a 37-year-old mother of two, struggling to hold back tears. 'My elderly parents are reliving the traumas of the Iran-Iraq war every time a missile lands,' she added. 'I have very little hope that the Islamic Republic and Israel will stop anytime soon. I just hope our home is still standing when and if we return.' Reported targets included the Justice, Intelligence, and Oil ministries located in densely populated residential and commercial districts. Multiple residential buildings were also struck during the ongoing daytime raids. 'The first two days were incredibly terrifying because there are so many military facilities near my home. A missile could land on us with no warning any minute. I'm praying for all this to end soon,' said Ladan, a 46-year-old housewife who lives in northeast Tehran, after reaching Mazandaran in the Caspian region. A video shared by @Vahid shows the moment an Israeli missile hits a building in Tehran's Sabounchi street, where the IRGC Intelligence Organization's building is located. Netanyahu earlier confirmed the deaths of the IRGC intelligence chief and his deputy in an Israeli attack. Bazaar shuttered Tehran's Grand Bazaar and many other businesses shuttered quickly as queues outside petrol stations grew longer. Authorities have now capped fuel purchases at 15 liters per private vehicle per day. While Iran's government has not released overall casualty figures, state media reported that ten children were killed overnight in a residential building in northeast Tehran. Arash, a 48-year-old engineer, said his entire family is preparing to flee. 'Israel struck several places near our neighborhood this morning. One explosion blew the windows open. We're heading to my parents' home in the Caspian region—but I'm not sure it's safe there either.' Ali, a 38-year-old teacher, said he was still looking for somewhere safe to take shelter. 'People with money have already left. For people like us, it's hard to survive more than a few days away from home.' Online, confusion and fear are spreading. 'Every [Telegram] channel that I check says to leave Tehran — but where exactly should we go when we don't have anyone [to stay with] or know any places [that are safe]?' @stillwjm97 posted on X. A large explosion shook Tehran's Mirdamad district in the city's north on Sunday, with thick plumes of smoke seen rising from the site, according to a video received by Iran International. Shelters, human toll Outspoken former lawmaker Mahmoud Sadeghi echoed the urgency in a post on X. 'The war has truly begun. Declare a state of war. Prioritize protecting people's lives. Let's minimize human casualties by preparing shelters and issuing warnings,' he addressed the authorities. 'So many missiles are landing in Tel Aviv and Haifa, but the human toll is not comparable to Iran.' Tehran has no dedicated, fully stocked public bomb shelters like those in Israel. Some neighborhood bunkers built during the Iran-Iraq War remain unused and unprepared, and no sirens have been sounded ahead of the recent attacks. The government on Sunday announced metro stations, mosques and schools would stay open overnight for shelter. But residents say that metro stations are not equipped as bomb shelters and lack basic amenities such as toilers. Some social media users are expressing concern that most mosques and schools may be as vulnerable to bombs and missiles as their homes. Iran Intl
