‘The repression machine continues to be deployed’: Unique testimony from a Tehran resident

[ad_1] “On Saturday night time [March 7], it began very violently, with terrifying sounds. The sky was fully lit up. The strikes hit oil depots. Dwelling situations are already unhealthy, and this makes issues even more durable for us.

Every little thing was black on Sunday morning in Tehran. I had by no means seen something prefer it in my life. The air was filthy, and rain was falling within the courtyard of the home the place I used to be staying. It was as if somebody had poured oil on the bottom; all the pieces was lined in soot.

I don’t know to what extent it's dangerous to breathe, or how poisonous the air was. However it's clearly chemical smoke, and I inform myself that it should inevitably be damaging.

The one factor we will do within the face of that is to put on a masks. I went out a few times to purchase groceries, and there was no one within the streets.

The one stroke of luck we had was that afterwards, a robust wind picked up, and the rain helped purify the air.

Whether or not it’s Trump, Netanyahu, [US Secretary of Defence] Pete Hegseth, I don’t perceive what their plan is. What are they getting ready? They communicate in a really confused approach.

I would favor it if the bombs they drop had been focused at navy bases. There are such a lot of bases, so many checkpoints, so many barracks, quite than focusing on our oil depots.

Outdoors, the safety forces are nonetheless firmly in place Perhaps some essential targets have already been hit, however all these repression centres stay. They need to begin with these! They've recognized them; they need to strike them now. All these amenities are nonetheless intact.

They inform us: ‘You should take to the streets after we announce it.’ However the situations for bizarre folks to exit into the streets aren't there as a result of the safety forces are nonetheless firmly in place exterior.

In the meantime, pro-regime supporters mobilise each night, between 8pm and 10pm, as if that they had an appointment. And the repression machine continues to be deployed. I'd say 70 p.c of it's nonetheless there. Within the streets and on the principle squares, you see navy autos that we had solely seen in Hollywood movies till now. These autos and all this gear are so intimidating that we dare not even strategy them.

After which there are the checkpoints. At a few of them, they've even referred to as on very younger males. At one checkpoint I crossed, the boy posted there with a weapon didn't also have a moustache but.

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The designation of Mojtaba Khamene is ‘a hammer blow’ Till Sunday night, earlier than Mojtaba Khamenei was designated [as the new Supreme Leader], I actually had hope. I used to be telling myself that we had been lastly going to be saved. We actually wanted exterior intervention.

However since Sunday night, because it occurred, I’ve felt actually unhealthy. I inform myself: ‘What if the state of affairs backfires? What if compromises happen? What if peace situations are created – in the event that they make concessions or one thing else?’

The designation of Mojtaba Khamenei was the worst information we might have acquired throughout this warfare. It’s like a hammer blow after we are already residing below tough situations. It gave me a horrible feeling … the worst one you'll be able to expertise.

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I hope that, as they [the US-Israeli coalition] say, they'll get rid of him rapidly as a result of the folks, nevertheless divided they could be, have one factor in widespread: wanting to place an finish to the Islamic Republic.

The Iranian folks have been deceived so many occasions. I hope that this time it is not going to be the case, and that the actual goal will probably be freedom for Iranians. Even when it's a very idealistic mind-set, I'm conscious of that.”