The mood of the Iranian people before Trump’s ultimatum.

Iranians are buying generators, stockpiling essential supplies, or planning for evacuation as the U.S. threatens to destroy energy infrastructure if Tehran does not open the Strait of Hormuz.

Fears of escalating hostilities have led many families to seek refuge from the Iranian capital. Nariman, a 57-year-old teacher, decided to take her two daughters away from Tehran to the northern region near the Caspian Sea after reading a message from US President Donald Trump on social media about the possibility of attacking power plants and bridges across Iran to send the country back to the “Stone Age”.

“I was really scared when I read those things. I had to get my family to safety before things got worse,” he said.

Many others have similar intentions, raising the risk of traffic congestion at the capital’s gateways. The UN refugee agency estimates that millions of Iranians have been internally displaced since the conflict began on February 28, and this number could continue to rise.

Most residents have no choice but to stay in the city. Parisa, a 21-year-old student, said she and her roommate have no car and nowhere to go. She had stocked up on food and essentials since the beginning of the fighting. However, what worries her most are the long-term challenges.

Workers clean up the scene of the attack on Sharif University of Technology in Tehran on April 6. Photo: AP

Elnaz, a 34-year-old artist in Tehran, also said that leaving is not a viable option for everyone. “You need a destination and money. I have nothing but my paintings,” she said.

In the capital Tehran, many families are taping up their windows and moving to rooms with fewer windows to minimize the risk from the explosions that occur almost every night. Many people are buying generators and stockpiling water and essential supplies.

A 38-year-old man in Tehran said he had prepared a “survival kit” containing canned food, water, rechargeable batteries, and an emergency light. He filled his car with gas and considered leaving the city for the north. “If the infrastructure is destroyed, we don’t know how long we can hold out,” he said.

A 43-year-old woman undergoing breast cancer treatment in Tehran said she was particularly worried about the impact of infrastructure destruction on the healthcare system. “Initially, we heard that there would be support for Iranians, but the prolonged fighting and the destruction of facilities like universities and pharmaceutical companies have made us very uneasy,” she said.

Police patrol Tehran, standing in front of a large poster that reads: “The Strait of Hormuz remains closed. The entire Persian Gulf is our hunting ground.” Photo: AP

Recent statements by President Trump have further heightened concerns. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal earlier this week, the US President suggested that Iran could take up to 20 years to recover from the damage of the war. He set a deadline of 8 PM Eastern Time on April 7th, warning that the US is prepared to destroy all power plants and bridges if Tehran does not agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

In a press conference on April 6, he stated that Iranians might “accept” power outages and disruptions to basic services if it led to political change.

“They said, ‘Keep bombing.’ That’s what people living in the bombed areas were saying,” Trump said without offering any evidence.

Iran entered the war facing a difficult economic situation, with high inflation and a persistent devaluation of its currency. This situation had sparked domestic protests late last year and led to harsh repression.

A man in Tehran embraces the body of a relative killed in the March 28 airstrike that hit a residential area. Photo: AP

Initially, a segment of the population resented the Iranian government and supported the US campaign. However, after tens of thousands of airstrikes and increasingly evident damage, many people’s views have shifted. Some fear the government might become more hardline after the conflict, while others worry that large-scale attacks will plunge the country into prolonged instability.

Access to information is also restricted as the Iranian government tightens internet control. Most people do not have a full understanding of the war’s developments, except for a select few who use VPN technology.

While many are holding their breath awaiting the April 8 deadline set by Trump, Elnaz is preparing for a longer battle.

“Everyone’s acting like the world is going to end or be reborn on Wednesday morning, but this war isn’t going to end overnight,” she stated. “Looking at the current escalation, I think we’re going to face this for at least another month or two. It’s going to be a long and arduous process. We’re stuck here waiting.”

When asked what worried her most, Parisa replied: “It’s the infrastructure. It takes so many years and so much effort to build those things. I’m afraid the country will be set back decades. I’m young, I don’t want to spend the next 5 or 10 years just struggling with the most basic needs like having a hot shower.”