Yoga class is taking place in the park, business people are driving to work – Israel’s attack only seems to make the Iranians shrug their shoulders. Some residents of the capital say surprising things.
In the quiet darkness of the early morning, the sound of distant Israeli missile explosions fades away. But for many Iranians it is a day like any other. “That wasn’t a real attack,” says a saffron seller in the wealthy north of Tehran as he sips his tea with pleasure. Mr. Mousavi, 57, talks in a calm voice about his 28 months of service in the Iran-Iraq War. “We don’t fear a big war,” he says, his eyes flashing briefly. “Iran will definitely respond.”
Israel’s air force bombed military targets in Iran for hours during the night without encountering any significant resistance. The operation, called Days of Repentance, was in retaliation for the massive Iranian missile attack on Israel in early October. The conflict between Iran and Israel has been escalating for months and is repeatedly threatening to escalate into a major regional war.
A resident of an eastern suburb of Tehran reported the nightly attacks on the telephone. “The windows were shaking,” she says, as fighter jets thundered across the sky. Loud dull explosions followed with flashes of fire in the distance. Not far away is a highly sensitive military complex in the suburb of Partschin. “Maybe they attacked there,” says the woman. Standing at the window and watching – “that was stressful”.
Iran’s state media initially downplayed the attack, saying Israeli fighter jets had not entered its own airspace. The damage was minimal, it was said. According to insiders, this could be the desire of the state leadership to consider this round of escalation to be complete for the time being. “I personally believe that propaganda rhetoric will now come, but for the local market,” says an expert.
With its attack, Israel listened to US advice not to bomb the oil industry and nuclear facilities, explains the insider, who is very familiar with the thinking of the Revolutionary Guards, Iran’s elite military force. “Iran’s foreign minister emphasized during his Middle East tour that he did not want any escalation. Therefore, tensions should actually end first.” Theoretically – because it is not the government that has the final say, but rather the Revolutionary Guards and religious leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran’s society has long been used to crises – the desolate economic situation and recurring protests against the government have been part of everyday life for years. It is therefore not surprising that many residents of the capital meet in the park early in the morning for early morning exercise, despite the bombings at night. Others only found out about it later. “I didn’t even notice the attack last night,” said Kian, a 20-year-old architecture student. “I am not afraid of an Israeli attack because I know that their goals are military and do not target the population.”
Traffic jams, honking and the usual traffic chaos in Tehran – the morning is no different from everyday life in the city. Schools also remained open and air traffic resumed operations as usual. Ironically, even the Iranian currency, the rial, gained in value against the euro after weeks of falling. A passer-by just shrugs his shoulders when asked about the attack. He, in his late 50s, was in the army himself. What does he think of it? “If the other side is stronger, you should hold back.”
