‘We’re sinking deeper’: Iranians brace for infrastructure strikes as Trump deadline nears
‘We’re sinking deeper’: Iranians brace for infrastructure strikes as Trump deadline nears
Iranians are reacting to US President Donald Trump’s threat to target the country’s power stations and bridges if it does not open the Strait of Hormuz. The threat, delivered in a fiery social media post on Sunday, promised “Power Plant Day” and “Bridge Day” for Iran on Tuesday, with a tone of exaggerated intensity. Despite the challenge of contacting people inside Iran due to a sustained internet blackout, the BBC has managed to speak with several individuals critical of the current regime. Their identities have been concealed to protect them.
Mockery of a looming deadline
Iranian officials have dismissed Trump’s 20:00 ET (01:00 BST Wednesday) deadline as an overreaction. A presidential aide remarked that the leader’s “insults and nonsense” stemmed from “sheer desperation and anger.” Meanwhile, state television has broadcast footage of well-stocked shops, contrasting with growing reports of citizens preparing for potential disruptions in essential services.
Voices from the ground
“It feels like we’re sinking deeper into a swamp. What can we do as ordinary people? We can’t stop him [Trump]. I keep thinking about a scenario where, in a month, I’m sitting with my family with no water, no electricity, nothing. And someone blows out the candle and we go to sleep.” – Kasra, Tehran
“My mum is filling every bottle she can find in the house with water. I’ve no idea what we’re going to do now. I think more and more in Iran have realised that Trump doesn’t care about them at all. I hate him from the bottom of my heart, and hate those who support him too.” – Mina, Tehran
Shift in perspective
In January, when protests erupted against the government, Trump claimed “help is on its way” to the demonstrators. However, he did not act when Iranian security forces killed at least 6,508 protesters and arrested 53,000 others, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (Hrana). Some individuals initially viewed US-Israeli strikes as a sign of this promised aid, but most now see attacks on energy infrastructure as a critical turning point.
“I’ve thanked Israel and the US for almost all of what they’ve hit so far. They must have had good reasons for them [sites which have been hit]. But I swear, hitting a power station just paralyses the country. It just plays into the Islamic Republic’s hands.” – Arman, Karaj
“About them hitting energy infrastructure, using an atomic bomb, or levelling Iran. My honest reaction is that I’m OK with all of these. Or anything else they might have in mind. If attacking targets in the country brings down the Islamic Republic, I’m fine with that.” – Radin, Tehran
Economic anxiety spreads
Many of those interviewed by the BBC express concern over the war’s economic consequences. Bahman, a Tehran resident, believes Trump fears Iran’s retaliatory actions. “When it comes to me, I don’t have a routine anymore, and I can’t even go to work with the situation because I’m a building superintendent engineer and no-one is building anything right now. Some smaller companies have started to lay off their employees already.” – Bahman, Tehran
Jamshid, a restaurant owner in Tehran, described his business as “not the same as before [the war].” He estimates he can sustain operations for about a month, “maybe two, at most.” The rent alone costs 200m tomans monthly [approx. $1,270; £960; €1,100], which exceeds the average salary of $200 to $300. Access to the internet remains costly, with many relying on shared satellite connections through Starlink systems, though using such technology risks up to two years in prison.
