Thousands flee Tehran as Israel-Iran tensions spark chaos, fear

The streets of Tehran have descended into chaos as thousands of residents desperately flee the capital amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.

Eyewitnesses describe harrowing scenes of massive congestion on exit roads, with petrol stations witnessing kilometre-long queues and eerily quiet streets.

Defence Minister Israel Katz’s stark warning to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has added fuel to the panic, with many residents hastily packing essentials and fleeing to safer areas in the east and north of the country.

“Residents of Tehran will pay the price and soon for attacks that killed civilians in Israel,” Katz warned, sending shockwaves through the city.

Zadshad, a 35-year-old teacher, was among those who fled with his family to Rasht, a town near the Caspian Sea. The journey, which normally takes four hours, took over a day due to congested roads. “Now that we’ve arrived, it’s no better. The shops are overcrowded and there is a shortage of food,” he said, highlighting the dire conditions. “Living in these conditions is really hard.”

Another family, desperate to escape the conflict, borrowed 5,000 euros to travel to Istanbul, hoping to find safety with their daughter.

“At the moment, we’re waiting until the streets are a little emptier and are thinking about the best border crossing to get to Turkey,” the father, a 60-year-old media worker, said, exemplifying the uncertainty and fear gripping the city.

Not everyone can escape, however. A Tehran official, who wanted to drive to Azerbaijan with his 82-year-old mother, had to turn back due to heavy traffic and petrol shortages. “But because of the heavy traffic, the petrol shortage, and my mother’s poor health, we had to turn back. Now we are waiting for better conditions to try again,” he said, voicing the frustration and anxiety felt by many.

As the conflict escalates, the city’s residents are left to navigate the treacherous landscape, seeking safety and security in uncertain times.