“This year, talk of war seems much more real,” said a 33-year-old engineer living in the provincial capital of Isfahan, near where the strikes took place. He spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation from Iranian security forces, saying he heard explosions early Friday.
“Some people fear that the situation will get worse in the future and that bombings will occur like during the war” between Iran and Iraq in the 1980s, he said, adding that the The incident “became the only topic of conversation for people, whether abroad.” by telephone or face to face.
Iranian officials and state media downplayed the attack, calling it insignificant and saying the explosions reported in Isfahan, more than 200 miles south of Tehran, came from Iranian air defenses intercepting drones. Israel has made no official public comment on the strike, and the primary target remains unclear.
Friday’s account stood in stark contrast to the fiery warnings issued by Iran earlier this month after an Israeli strike on an Iranian consular building in Damascus killed senior officials of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The attack prompted Iran to retaliate against Israel last weekend, when it launched hundreds of drones and missiles, most of which were shot down by either Israel or the United States.
“No damage was reported during the incident,” the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported on Friday.
This discreet response reflects Tehran’s desire “to quickly act as if nothing had happened,” said Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran program at the Middle East Institute.
In Isfahan, a city famous for its ornate Islamic architecture, residents said life continued as normal Friday but the streets were quieter than usual. The city is the third largest in Iran with almost 2 million inhabitants and the spacious Meidan Emam Square which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“Today the city seems normal and calm,” said Maryam, a 50-year-old retired factory worker. She also spoke on the condition that she be identified only by her first name due to fears for her safety. Iran regularly represses dissidents and others who speak openly about the country’s political and security situation.
Isfahan feels “strangely calm,” said Ashraf, a tailor. “Much calmer than usual.”
He said one of his sons heard explosions in the middle of the night, but the noise “was very faint and distant, so he went back to sleep.”
Iran is eager to maintain public attention on its attack on Israel, which its government considers a success, Vatanka and other analysts said.
Later Friday, just hours after the attack, the commander of Iran’s ground forces spoke to a crowd of supporters in Tehran, but did not specifically mention the Isfahan attack.
Instead, Brig. General Kioumars Heydari discussed the Iranian operation against Israel last week, according to excerpts of his speech broadcast on state television.
Iran succeeded in “shattering” Israel’s “false greatness,” he said.
Israel and Iran have entered “a new equilibrium, not so different from the old one,” said Arash Azizi, a lecturer in political science and history at Clemson University. “The immediate threat of escalation has been lifted.”
Before the strike, Iranian officials had warned of an attack on the country’s nuclear facilities. Such an attack would cause Iran to “revise” its nuclear doctrine, a senior IRGC commander said Thursday, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and denies wanting to acquire atomic weapons.
“If (Israel) wants to take action against our nuclear facilities, we will respond by attacking its nuclear sites using advanced weapons,” said Ahmad Haghtalab, IRGC commander in charge of nuclear security.
Now, after days of bracing for an Israeli response, some Iranians are feeling relieved by news of a limited attack.
They began spreading dark humor jokes online, mocking state media’s coverage of the strike. The only Iranian casualties were the result of laughter, one user posted on Instagram. Another suggested that if the attack caused significant damage, the government would simply deny the existence of Isfahan.
For others, frustrated with Iran’s religious leaders, a war would be welcome, they said, as long as it led to the fall of the government.
“From an Iranian woman’s point of view, I have so many other concerns in my life that, and this may seem strange to you, an Israeli strike doesn’t freak me out as much,” said a 40-year-old man. . resident of Tehran.
“Being killed by the morality police is a much more real threat than being hit by an Israeli strike,” she said, referring to the special patrol unit that, often violently, enforces codes. strict Islamic dress of Iran.
George reported from Sulimaniyah, Iraq and Tabrizy, New York.
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