“It’s joyful! I can’t even speak because I’m so moved!”
Ebrahim is overjoyed. He struggles to contain his emotions on the other end of the line. His sentences are interrupted by bursts of laughter.
This doctor, who resides in southern Iran, claims he has been waiting for this day for a long time, believing that the regime of the mullahs would only fall under American bombardments.
The names of the individuals and locations involved have been modified for security reasons.
The United States and Israel launched an initial round of strikes against Iran on Saturday morning, announcing the failure of negotiations that were underway to halt Iran’s nuclear program.
This escalation of violence in the region comes about a month after tensions within Iran. Last January, authorities forcibly suppressed an unprecedented wave of protests in the country, resulting in over 7,000 deaths according to human rights groups.
Radio-Canada had previously spoken with Ebrahim, a key witness to this repression, last Wednesday. At that time, he mentioned that he “looks up to the sky awaiting American bombs” to “liberate” his country from the grip of the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological army of the Islamic Republic.
On Saturday morning, just before the communication networks in Iran were interrupted, Ebrahim wanted to “thank” U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“It has been 47 years of enduring injustices and the humiliation by the Islamic regime. Trump’s name will forever be engraved in the history of humanity. Trump is freeing us!”
Prior to these strikes, “we were desperate, counting the days, counting the moments, crying. We had lost hope,” added the doctor.
While speaking to Radio-Canada, Ebrahim mentioned not hearing any explosion sounds where he was in the south of the country. However, Fars news agency reported explosions in major cities like Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah.
In his town, Ebrahim recounts how many people flocked to gas stations to fuel up, fearing a fuel shortage in Iran.
Despite hoping for a brief duration of the American military intervention, estimating “a week at most,” Ebrahim is uncertain about the future.
Concern
However, not all Iranians are as optimistic as Ebrahim.
Adib, a resident of Tehran, openly expresses his concern. When asked how he feels since the beginning of the strikes, he simply replies: “Not good!”
“War is not a good thing. We hear very loud explosions.”
The Iranian Red Crescent reported at least 201 deaths and 747 injuries due to the strikes, with over 50 people believed to have died in a school during an attack attributed to Israel, according to Iranian media.
In a message to Radio-Canada, Adib fears a regional escalation following the attacks. He highlights that the Iranian government “is launching missiles across the Middle East.” In retaliation, Iran targeted several Gulf cities hosting American military bases or infrastructure, including Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Dubai.
Adib understands his fellow citizens who were eagerly anticipating this war. “We cannot overthrow the regime barehanded,” he explains. “For now, our goals align with those of the United States and Israel.”
Like millions of other Tehran residents, he received a text message from authorities urging evacuation due to multiple explosions in the city that morning. Despite this, Adib refuses to leave, stating, “We have enough supplies at home. We will stay and listen to the news.”
The regime, “a multi-headed serpent”
On Saturday night, Neda briefly reestablished internet connection to exchange messages with the Tehran resident.
During her interview with Radio-Canada, she recounted being at her office when the American and Israeli strikes hit the capital. “First, we heard fighter jets. Then there were explosions, and afterwards, we saw columns of smoke,” she described.
“Everyone was both excited and worried,” she continued.
Like her compatriots, Neda was disconnected from the rest of the world all day, without internet access. It was only at 3 a.m. local time that she managed to reconnect, briefly learning, like many Iranians, of the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, announced by Donald Trump.
From her bedroom window, she heard cries of joy. “I was lying in bed and heard people celebrating in the street,” Neda recounted. “The dictator is dead!”
For her future remains uncertain: “This regime is like a multi-headed serpent. One head has been cut off, but there are still many others,” she expressed. “I have no idea what the future holds for us. But there may be other moments of joy,” she concluded.
