Iran Shaken: Panic Grips Some, But Others Breathe a Sigh of Relief!

Panic in the streets, but relief for some: The mood in Iran

Iran Shaken: Panic Grips Some, But Others Breathe ...

Despite a near-total internet blackout, reports are trickling out of Iran, painting a picture of explosions, palpable fear, and surprisingly, even a sense of hope among some. It's a complex and unsettling situation, to say the least.

Around 09:40 local time (06:10 GMT), the ground shook for residents across multiple Iranian cities. The sound? Loud explosions. Social media, normally a flood of information, is now a mere trickle, making verification a nightmare. But what little footage does slip through depicts scenes of sheer panic near alleged blast sites. You can hear the screams, the cries…it's harrowing.

Interestingly, BBC Persian is reporting a contrasting undercurrent: a feeling of relief, almost celebration, among those who see military intervention as the only way to dismantle the current regime. One video, which we're working to verify, allegedly shows a woman expressing relief that Ayatollah Khamenei's residence was hit. There's another disturbing clip, said to be teenagers dancing at a school, chanting about the strikes and even expressing support for former U.S. President Donald Trump. It's a deeply divided nation, that much is clear.

The specter of a U.S. attack has been hanging over Iran for some time now. Since Friday night, there have been reports of long lines at petrol stations. Apparently, many Tehran residents are attempting to flee the capital, seeking refuge in the perceived safety of the north, near the Caspian Sea. Think about that for a moment – uprooting your family, just to try and escape the potential fallout of a conflict.

The limited internet access, pieced together through methods like SpaceX's Starlink (a controversial topic in itself) and VPNs, has allowed some to share their experiences with the outside world. "We have heard lots of explosions. I live in middle of Tehran," one resident told BBC Newshour. "This was a normal day until the United States and Israel started attacking the city. Our children have gone to a school in the morning. We had to go and get the children." I can only imagine the terror of that moment.

Another individual told the BBC Weekend program that they heard fighter jets and two explosions early in the morning from their office in northern Tehran. They described the atmosphere as tense, with a "sense of war in the air." Reports suggest residents are stocking up on canned food, preparing for the worst. It's a grim picture, and one that highlights the very real human cost of geopolitical tensions. These aren't just news stories; these are people's lives on the line.

A resident communicating with BBC Persian via Starlink reported a heavy security presence on streets leading to the Leadership House, the office of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. It suggests the government is bracing for further unrest, or perhaps something more.

Before the internet blackout descended, some Iranians managed to post messages on social media, anticipating potential casualties from air strikes. "If I die, don't forget that we exist too - those of us who oppose any military attack, those of us who will become just a number in reports of the dead," one user wrote. That's a chilling reminder of the complexities within Iran itself.

Another post read: "Damn the Islamic dictatorship that caused this war. We have already endured three wars." The anger and frustration are palpable. And then you have messages focused on the human element, the children. "Promise that if anything happens to us, you will look after our children and be very, very kind to them. Tell them we did everything we could - we joined silent marches, we voted, we worked multiple shifts, we endured great hardship." It breaks your heart, frankly.

BBC Persian notes that many Iranians, having