Iran faces bombs and uncertainty a month into the war

Iranians across the nation are grappling with the devastating impact of a month-long military campaign as U.S. and Israeli forces continue to strike targets throughout the country. The conflict has upended lives already strained by economic collapse and the violent suppression of nationwide protests earlier this year.

“I think we’ve experienced everything bad possible,” said a 26-year-old designer in Tehran, “from the terrible atmosphere of January and the killings and arrests to the war.”

The conflict, which began on February 28, has brought daily explosions that shake homes and damage property across Tehran and other cities. These strikes come just weeks after Iranian security forces violently suppressed what observers called the largest anti-government demonstrations in decades, reportedly killing thousands and detaining tens of thousands more.

An unprecedented internet blackout imposed since January has further isolated Iranians, cutting them off from the outside world and complicating communications within the country. This digital darkness has crippled businesses dependent on online sales and accessibility.

The Associated Press interviewed ten Iranians from various regions, most speaking anonymously due to security concerns. Their accounts paint a picture of a population dealing with compounding traumas – political repression, economic collapse, and now war.

The fashion designer interviewed runs a leather goods factory that is now on the verge of closure. “When the economy gets bad, nonessential goods are the first thing to be removed from the shopping cart,” she explained. The internet restrictions have reduced “the small sales to zero.”

When the bombing began, she relocated to her parents’ house. Days later, a nearby strike damaged her apartment. Like most Iranians, she lacks home insurance and must fund repairs herself. Her movements are now limited to essential errands only.

In Tehran, residents try to identify patterns in the airstrikes to determine when it might be safer to venture outside. An engineer described climbing onto his roof with guests after a nearby explosion, trying unsuccessfully to locate where it had hit. He noted that the strikes may be becoming less frequent, or perhaps “our perception of it has changed” as residents grow accustomed to bombings.

The conflict has severely disrupted employment. While government employees continue receiving salaries, private businesses are struggling to pay workers as they close temporarily or reduce operating hours. This economic strain compounds an already dire situation caused by the collapse of Iran’s currency, which had initially triggered the widespread protests in late 2022.

Many Iranians have fled to the country’s northern regions, which have been relatively spared from attacks. Rasht, a major northern city, has seen its population swell with internal refugees, straining local resources. A pediatric doctor there reported that patient numbers have nearly doubled while medicine supplies are dwindling. Basic supplies like antibiotics and IV fluids must now be purchased independently by patients.

The internet blackout has also affected medical care, limiting doctors’ access to patient histories and preventing them from checking correct medication dosages online. The same doctor had been documenting casualties from the January crackdown but was forced to abandon this effort due to the digital restrictions.

Throughout this crisis, Iranian authorities have organized pro-government rallies to demonstrate public support. The Basij paramilitary force, known for internal security operations, has increased street patrols despite being targeted in airstrikes.

Iranians express complex feelings about the conflict. The engineer interviewed condemned decades of misrule by the government but said that doesn’t justify the U.S.-Israeli attacks. Despite his anger over the destruction, he remains determined to rebuild: “I’m going to be stronger after this war. I will be damaged, just like my country. But that’s it. This is life. We’re going to make it better.”

Some fear the war will leave Iran with an even more oppressive government. A woman in her 40s said she feared negotiations more than continued conflict: “This is what our situation has come to — we are willing to endure war in the hope of being freed from them.”

The doctor in Rasht described the war as “the last remaining option” for removing the ruling clerics but worries about how the conflict is being conducted. He fears a potential U.S. deal with the current regime would only strengthen it, creating “the Islamic Republic on steroids.”

A lawyer from southwestern Iran who previously represented political detainees and women’s rights defenders – and who had herself been imprisoned – initially spoke hopefully about collective action and self-determination. But after a month of bombings, her outlook had darkened considerably.

“There is no sign of hope, no dreams, no joy,” she said. “Worry about the future has taken over.”