Image source, Getty Images
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- Author, Lyse Doucet
- Author's title, International head of correspondents
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In the heart of the Iranian capital, Boof coffee serves refreshing drinks on a hot summer day.
They must be the most characteristic cold coffees of the city. The place is in a corner of the American embassy, closed a long time ago.
Its high cement walls have been covered with anti -American murals since Washington broke relations with Tehran after the Iranian revolution of 1979 and the hostage crisis, which still overshadow this tortuous relationship.
In the lovely Boof coffee, Amir, the barista, says that he would like relations between the United States and Iran improve.
“US sanctions harm our businesses and make it difficult for us to travel the world,” he says as long as another frozen coffee is served after a cheerful wooden poster that says: “Keep calm and take a coffee.”
There are only two busy tables: in one of them there is a woman covered with a long black veil, and in the other a woman with blue jeans and a long loose mane, which skip the rules on female clothing, while curling her boyfriend.
It is a small snapshot of this capital that faces a deeply uncertain future.
Image source, Charlotte Scarr/BBC
Jamenei's message
A short distance by car, in the Iraní Iribe state television network complex, a recorded speech of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Jamenei was broadcast throughout the country.
“Americans have opposed the Islamic Republic of Iran from the beginning,” he said.
“In essence, one thing has always been a single thing: they want us to give up,” the 86 -year -old Ayatollah continued, who believes he remains refugee in a bunker after Israel unleashed a wave of unprecedented attacks against Iran's nuclear and missile facilities, killing high commanders and scientists.
We saw his speech, the first since President Donald Trump suddenly announced a high fire on Tuesday, on a small television located in the only office that still remains intact in a wide section of the Irib Complex.
There is only one carbonized steel skeleton. When an Israeli bomb hit this place on June 16, a voracious fire devastated the main study that would have transmitted the speech of the supreme leader. Now there are only ashes.
An acre smell can still be perceived. All television teams – channels, spotlights, tripods – are a twisted metal tangle. A crunchy glass carpet covers the ground.
Israel said he had attacked the propaganda arm of the Islamic Republic, after ensuring that he hid a military operation inside, an accusation that his journalists rejected.
His huge shell seems to symbolize these dark times for Iran.
It can also be seen that the hospitals in the city still serve the Iranians injured in the 12 -day war in Israel.
Image source, AFP
The fear of new attacks
“I'm afraid they will attack again,” Ashraf Barghi tells me when we met in the emergency department of the Talaghani General Hospital, where he works as a boss nurse.
“We do not trust that this war has ended,” he says, a comment that reflects the palpable concern we have heard of so many people in this city.
When Israel bombed the nearby Evin prison on June 23, the victims, both soldiers and civilians, were transferred to the emergency room where Barghi works.
“The injuries were the worst that I have treated in my 32 years as a nurse,” he says still visibly distressed.
The attack on the infamous prison where Iran stops most of its political prisoners was described by Israel as “symbolic.”
It seemed to strengthen the repeated message of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to the Iranians of “defending their freedom.”
“Israel says that it only attacked military and nuclear objectives, but all are lies,” Mortality insists from his hospital bed. I was working in the Prison Department of Transport when the missile hit the building. He shows us his wounds in both arms and back.
In the next room they serve soldiers, but we are not allowed to enter.
Image source, Charlotte Scarr/BBC
“It's so heartbreaking”
In this extensive metropolis, the Iranians calculate the cost of this confrontation. In its last count, the Ministry of Health registered 627 dead and almost 5,000 injured.
Tehran is gradually returning to life and taking up his old rhythm, at least in appearance. His infamous traffic begins to fill the highways and their beautiful wooded streets.
The stores of their beautiful bazaar reopen as people return to a city from which they fled to escape the bombs. The intense 12 -day Israeli military operation, added to US attacks against Iran's main nuclear facilities, has left many shocked.
“They were not good morning,” says Mina, a young woman who collapses when trying to explain her sadness. “It's so heartbreaking,” he tells me in tears. “We strive a lot to have a better life, but today we do not see future.”
Image source, Getty Images
The impact on Tehran
We gathered in the immediate vicinity of the imposing Azadi tower of White Marble, one of Tehran's most emblematic monuments.
A large crowd, gathered in a warm summer afternoon, rocked the sound of very dear patriotic songs in an outdoor concert of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra. His purpose was to bring some calm to a city still in suspense.
Supporters and critics of the clerical rulers of Iran gathered, united by the concern shared for the future of their country.
“They have to listen to what people say,” Ali insists when I asked him what advice he would give to his government. “We want greater freedoms, that's all I will say.”
There are also challenges. “Attack our nuclear bases to demonstrate that 'they have to do what we say' goes against diplomacy,” says Hamed, a 18 -year -old university student.
Despite the rules and restrictions that have governed their lives for a long time, the Iranians express their opinion while waiting for the next steps of their rulers and leaders in Washington and other places, which have important consequences for their lives.
Additional reporting by Charlotte Scarr and Nik Millard.
Lyse Doucet is allowed to inform from Iran on the condition that none of his reports is published in the Persian Service of the BBC. This law of the Iranian authorities applies to all international media agencies operating in Iran.
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