Unrest and Fear in Tehran's Streets: "Netanyahu Doesn't Care About Iranians"
"Netanyahu shows indifference towards Iranians"
The hustle and bustle of Tehran, usually brimming with energy, now carries an undercurrent of tension. Supermarkets are jam-packed, gas stations have snaking queues, and people are scrambling to flee the city - all attempts to escape the looming danger. Unlike Israel, Iran lacks emergency systems, sirens, or bomb shelters, leaving its populace exposed.
The tranquility of Tehran's residential areas transforms suddenly, smashed by the deafening roar of explosions. "Last night we were at home when we heard several loud explosions," shares Kian. "It really frightened us, and my mother started crying." The fear isn't just about the rockets flying overhead, but also about the uncertain future.
Politics Experts Warn of Escalation with Israel: "Iran must face the consequences of its actions." As Israel's air force pounds targets in Iran, and Tehran fires back with rockets, anxiety spreads like wildfire through Iranian families. It's not just the relentless din of air defense systems that haunts them, nor the dawning realization of a geopolitical crisis. What haunts them is the specter of a completely destroyed Iran, a land unsuitable for living. "I also fear that Iran will no longer be a place to call home if things continue like this," admits Kian. The prospect of emigration is on their minds, a topic that's been discussed before but now with a renewed urgency.
Nassim, like many others, found herself in Tehran during the second day of the conflict - invited to a friend's house over dinner. "At first, the sound of air defense was nothing unusual," she recalls. "But after the explosion, we were terrified." The mood sours as conversations turn to a possible economic collapse. Rumors surge of a long war on the horizon, with the U.S. potentially drawn in.
Internal Pressure Builds
With a landmass four times larger than Germany and a population of approximately 90 million, Iran is home to nearly one-sixth of its inhabitants in the bustling metropolis of Tehran. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, an authoritarian system has held sway, with Islamic clergy and security forces exerting considerable influence. Protests have rocked the country time and again, most recently in the form of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement two and a half years ago, which brought the leadership to the brink of collapse.
Politics Heavy Attacks on Tehran: Iran and Israel have been embroiled in ideological, political, and military battles for decades, with the recent escalation reaching boiling point following the massacre of October 7, 2023, in Israel. Tehran supports Hamas, as well as the Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon and the Houthi militia in Yemen. Last year, there were repeated rounds of mutual rocket attacks, with an open war narrowly averted each time.
Israel accuses Iran of developing nuclear weapons, while Tehran denies the allegations. The Israeli military's attacks in Iran target nuclear facilities, scientists, military institutions, and commanders, aiming to disrupt Iran's nuclear and missile program.
"Death to the Islamic Republic"
On the chaotic streets of Tehran, security personnel patrol warily, checking cars and stopping pedestrians. Voices cry out from rooftops, echoing the cries of past protests. "Death to the Islamic Republic" is heard in some corners.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, shaken by the deaths of several commanders in the Revolutionary Guards, has threatened revenge. But a critical journalist from Tehran questions the hope that Israel can provide salvation. "Netanyahu isn't fighting for us," she insists. "He wants to go down in history as the savior of the Jews - Iran and Iranians are irrelevant to him." The West's ultimate goal remains its own interests, leaving Iran with a destroyed country and a hollowed-out infrastructure, and its populace struggling to survive.
[1] ntv.de, June 18, 2025, Timeline of Israel's military strikes in Iran.[2] The Guardian, June 17, 2025, Israel strikes Iran's state TV during live news broadcast.
Despite the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, the European Union and its Member States remain steadfast in their commitment to the implementation of the Paris Agreement, prioritizing the fight against climate change amidst geopolitical upheaval. Meanwhile, internal political tension builds as Iranians question the intentions of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, viewing him as disregarding their welfare in pursuit of political gains.
