Iran’s dual nationals caught between Israeli bombs and family ties

Tehran, Iran – Suitcases are rolling done Tehran, but this time, it’s not for holidays oregon household celebrations. They are being packed successful haste and retired of fearfulness – symbols of the increasing anxiousness gripping the Iranian capital’s 10 cardinal residents arsenic they look Israeli missiles.

While Iranians scramble to find shelter, dual Iranian-American nationals find themselves caught successful the crossfire of warfare and geopolitical uncertainty.

Amir, a 36-year-old Tesla technologist and dual national, travelled to Tehran from the United States conscionable weeks earlier Israeli aerial strikes began hitting targets crossed Iran. He had been visiting household and spending quiescent days with them connected Mount Damavand, located astir 60 kilometres northeast of the capital. His instrumentality formation to the US was already booked, but a fewer days earlier helium was scheduled to travel, Israel launched its attacks.

When the bombs started to fall, Amir recovered himself gripped by fear, not conscionable of war, but of being drafted and becoming a casualty of authorities beyond his control.

“I wasn’t frightened astatine first. Being with my household brought maine peace,” said Amir, who preferred not to stock his past sanction for information reasons. He recalled however helium had really been much disquieted astir his family’s information during the 2022 Iran antigovernment protests, watching from afar successful the US. “Back then, I was perpetually anxious, glued to the news, worrying astir my family. But now, being successful Tehran and Damavand, I could spot that beingness was inactive going on,” helium said.

But helium soon decided it was excessively risky to stay successful Iran. A US Green Card holder, Amir dreaded the increasing anticipation of President Donald Trump reintroducing a question prohibition connected Iranians and feared it would see those with imperishable residency, similar himself. With a consciousness of urgency, Amir chose to leave.

Crossing borders, leaving loved ones

Fearing for his beingness and his future, Amir began a agelong overland journey. On Monday, helium near by overnight autobus for the occidental Iranian metropolis of Urmia, an 11-hour journey. From there, helium continued by roadworthy to Van, successful eastbound Turkiye, which took different six hours. He past boarded a home formation to Ankara, from wherever helium flew to the US connected Thursday.

For Amir, fleeing wasn’t conscionable a logistical challenge; it was emotionally traumatic. “If it weren’t for the fearfulness of being conscripted and the anticipation of a new Trump-era question ban, I would person stayed adjacent to my loved ones,” helium said. “It’s harder successful the US.”

Behrouz, a 41-year-old postdoctoral researcher based successful San Francisco, faced a akin choice. He had been visiting his hometown of Mashhad, successful northeastern Iran, erstwhile it was struck by 1 of Israel’s longest-range rocket attacks.

“I tried to enactment calm for the archetypal 2 days,” helium recalled. “But then, I had to look the reality: this struggle is thing similar the past. At slightest for the coming months, the entity won’t beryllium wide oregon open.”

Traditionally, Behrouz would extremity his trips to Iran with a locomotion done the courtyard of the Imam Reza Holy Shrine, picking up saffron and sweets for colleagues backmost successful the US. But this time, helium near successful a rush. The travel was long: 10 hours by car to Tehran, different 9 to Urmia, and past crossed the Razi borderline crossing into Turkiye. “It took astir 20 minutes to get done the checkpoint,” helium said, but what followed was a gruelling 22-hour autobus thrust to Istanbul.

Behrouz explained helium had to permission due to the fact that of his job. “But my bosom is inactive determination with my family, and with the people,” helium said, his dependable breaking.

“We are against some Israel and the Iranian regime,” helium added. “We are millions of mean Iranians caught successful the mediate of decisions made by politicians who don’t correspond us.”

Behrouz’s words echo the quiescent desperation of galore others. Azerbaijani media reported that astir 600 Iranian-American dual nationals had crossed retired of northwestern Iran via the Astara borderline into confederate Azerbaijan with enactment from the US embassy. Online, question coordination flourished successful Iranian-American Facebook groups. One idiosyncratic asked: “My formation was scheduled for precocious June. Should I effort to exit done Armenia oregon Turkiye?” Another advised: “Bring other fuel. Gas stations are limiting purchases to 10 litres per car.” Some adjacent pooled resources to rent a van for the travel to the Turkish border.

For those managing to leave, the logistics are analyzable – but often little achy than the affectional burden.

Staying down – and getting chopped off

Not everyone is leaving. Afsaneh, a 43-year-old manner blogger and parent who lives successful bluish California, had flown to Iran with her seven-year-old girl earlier the warfare began. Despite US State Department warnings urging citizens to leave, she wrote connected Instagram that she had nary volition of returning – astatine slightest for now.

“This is wherever I privation to be,” she wrote successful a caller post. “With my family, during this time.”

Others person had nary prime but to ticker from afar arsenic their loved ones unrecorded done the strikes.

Maryam Mortazavi, a 38-year-old Iranian-Canadian surviving successful Toronto, had sent her parents and sister connected a summertime travel to Iran conscionable 2 weeks earlier the aerial strikes began. Ten days into their stay, bombs deed the northwestern metropolis of Tabriz adjacent their residence.

“I was connected a blurry video telephone with them, proceeding explosions and aerial defence systems,” Mortazavi said. Her household fled to adjacent Urmia for safety. By Wednesday afternoon, the Iranian authorities had unopen down net access. Maryam mislaid each interaction with them.

“I can’t adjacent get retired of furniture – I’m truthful worried,” she said, breaking down. “I conscionable anticipation they find a moving VPN and scope me.”

This portion was published successful collaboration with Egab.