A woman stands on a rooftop listening to the sounds of the city below. There is only the dull hum of traffic tonight. But she knows how easily that can change. It is usually the dogs who notice the sound first and begin to bark furiously.
The BBC has obtained footage and interviews from Tehran which evoke a city of strained nerves, of constant waiting for the next blast and relentless fear of the state security apparatus.
Baran – not her real name – is a businesswoman in her thirties. She is now too scared to go to work. With the start of the drone attacks, no one dares to go outside. If I open my door and step out, it is like gambling with my life. She lives alone but is in constant communication with her friends. My friends and I message each other constantly asking where everyone is…and even when there is no sound the silence itself is terrifying. I am doing everything I can to stay alive and witness whatever lies ahead.
Like many Iranians, Baran saw her hopes of change devastated after widespread demonstrations in January led to a severe government crackdown.
Now repression is total. Open dissent is impossible with state security visible everywhere. There are videos capturing regime supporters driving through the streets, serving as a deterrence against protest.
The official narrative is dominated by state-controlled media broadcasting loyalist messages while independent journalists risk imprisonment to provide alternative perspectives.
The situation is frightening… says a Tehran resident named Ali. The skies of your country are controlled by enemy forces. But at the same time, there is always a hope in people's hearts. It's not that we are supporting America or Israel. But hoping simply that for one moment, something might happen that ends the current Iranian regime, and that the people will be able to create change.
In her flat, Baran contemplates the psychological scars of prolonged conflict, echoing a sentiment shared by many: This war has entered our blood and has entered our lives. Amidst the turmoil, the citizens of Tehran live in unrelenting dread, with no sign of escape from their plight.
