In Iran, the war has been going on for over a month and the American president, who initiated hostilities with Israel on February 28th, has promised to strike Iran hard for “two to three” more weeks. On Thursday, powerful explosions once again shook the Iranian capital. However, in a city officially at war, hundreds of families are picnicking in a pleasant, cloudy weather in a park with a breathtaking view of the snow-capped peaks of the Alborz mountains.
This Thursday marks the 13th and final day of the New Year festivities in Iran, known as “Sizdah-bedar” or Nature Day. “We must keep this ritual alive under all circumstances, even in the current situation and despite the stress we feel,” said Roya Abhari, a 39-year-old employee.
The tradition requires spending this day outdoors to avoid bad luck. “I saw President Trump’s message. It made me wonder: will Iran go back to the Stone Age in two or three weeks?” questioned Ms. Abhari, who came alone to the park “to enjoy the company of these people, to gain energy, and to feel better.”
The war “doesn’t disrupt anything for us,” says 43-year-old Hakim Rahimi. “Trump talks a lot, but he can’t act,” believes this metallurgical worker. “We were not afraid of an eight-year war (Iran-Iraq war from 1980 to 1988). Does he think he can scare us with two or three weeks of war?”
“Our soldiers (…) will not let Trump do it,” asserts 28-year-old homemaker Parastou Safiani. These joyful scenes contrast with the anxious atmosphere of war, where destruction and explosions can bring lives to a quick end.
In the morning, strikes heavily damaged the Pasteur Institute of Iran, a century-old health institution in Tehran. The city’s numerous parks, usually green lungs in a regularly polluted metropolis, have become refuges since the war. Surprisingly, joggers, cyclists clearing their minds, or simple strollers gather there daily, despite the risks of bombings.
The Iranian army threatened on Thursday with “devastating” retaliation in case of increased American strikes. These exchange of threats raise fears of a new escalation of the conflict engulfing the Middle East and shaking the global economy.
