As the United States and Iran resume nuclear talks in Geneva, Switzerland, on the 26th local time, moves in Iran to prepare for a hypothetical wartime situation appear to be spreading.
According to the New York Times (NYT) on the 24th, as the possibility of war between the United States and Iran rises, Iranian citizens are increasingly feeling a sense of crisis. Grocery stores and markets in the capital, Tehran, are well stocked, and schools and corporations are operating normally, but signs of efforts to prepare for a state of emergency are being detected beneath the surface.
Citizens are packing emergency bags, buying generators to prepare for power outages, and otherwise getting ready to flee, while know-how on how to cope in wartime is spreading quickly online, including on X (formerly Twitter). In case authorities cut the internet and communications, people are being urged to set up emergency contacts and rendezvous points for family members and to prepare two weeks' worth of food, drinking water, and medicine.
This fear has already become reality once. When Iran fought a 12-day war with Israel in June last year, millions of citizens left Tehran and fled to the Caspian Sea coast and nearby mountain areas. At that time, severe traffic congestion occurred across Iran, with trips that normally took four hours taking close to a full day, adding to the chaos and apparently spreading the perception that "you have to move early."
By contrast, there is criticism that the Iranian government has not presented a clear plan regarding emergency response. Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani said subway stations and underground parking lots could be converted into shelters, but it was not clear whether these facilities were equipped with essential systems such as heating and ventilation.
Zakani, for his part, argued there is no need to overly highlight war concerns, saying "the United States is sowing anxiety in Iranian society" and that "there is no need to stop the city."
However, citizens, regardless of political leanings, say they feel virtually abandoned by the government. A business owner in their 40s living in Tehran said, "We have to think about surviving on our own in a war against the world's strongest military," adding, "I even gave up a business trip out of fear that war could break out at any moment."
In reality, observers say Iran's circumstances make it difficult for individuals to independently prepare for war. After economic hardship protests broke out in December last year, the value of the rial currency hit an all-time low, and Iran's recent inflation rate reached 60% year over year. With prices of basic foods such as meat, poultry, and eggs soaring, some households are reportedly being forced to choose between rent and groceries.
Concerns about communication blackouts are also growing. Some citizens are purchasing premium virtual private network services in preparation for internet shutdowns and are closely monitoring news about the negotiations and reports of military threats, but reactions say confusion is only deepening as positions on the specific scope and timing of any attack keep shifting.
Opinions on U.S. military strikes are divided. Some welcome U.S. intervention as retribution for the previous government's bloody crackdown on protests, while others express concern that war would not lead to regime change. Recently, anti-government protests have been held for four consecutive days on university campuses in Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, and elsewhere, where students called for an end to the Islamic Republic (theocracy) and burned the national flag in a show of strong resistance.
Meanwhile, the United States raised the pressure on Iran by moving more than 150 military aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East on the day. This is said to be the largest deployment of military power since the 2003 Iraq War. U.S. President Donald Trump said in his State of the Union address to Congress the same day that "I prefer a diplomatic solution," but warned, "I will never hesitate to confront threats aimed at the United States if necessary."