Dragging two suitcases and carrying a rucksack, Homa looked exhausted after crossing the Turkish border following a long trip from Tehran, where she had been on holiday when the war between Iran and Israel erupted.
The 40-year-old Iranian, who works in Canada as a business analyst, was stranded when Iran closed its airspace after Israel launched a massive pre-dawn bombing campaign on Friday. The Islamic Republic responded with a barrage of missile strikes, marking the most intense confrontation in the history of the two countries.
Homa, who did not give her surname, began searching for an alternative way out and eventually boarded a bus heading to Iran’s northwestern border with Turkey—a journey of 850 kilometers (530 miles).
After enduring four days of conflict, she left Tehran at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday and reached the Kapıköy border crossing in Turkey’s eastern Van province on Wednesday afternoon.
Many were trying to leave Tehran, including her own family, who drove to Shahriar, a town some 30 kilometers west of the capital. “It took hours because of the heavy traffic,” she said.
“They’re not safe. I am worried about them.”
Iranian authorities say at least 224 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on military and nuclear sites, while Israel reports 24 deaths from Iranian missile attacks.
Despite the long road behind her, Homa still has a long way to go before reuniting with her family in Toronto.
“Right now, I’m going to Erzurum, then to İstanbul, then to Dubai, and then to Toronto,” she said before starting the five-hour leg to Erzurum from the border.
‘Impossible to sleep’
“I couldn’t sleep for five nights in a row,” she told Agence France-Presse (AFP), citing the sound of incoming missiles. The bombardment in eastern Tehran had forced her to relocate to the north of the city.
Communication was also disrupted.
“The internet is awful. I couldn’t even get the VPN working. Telegram, WhatsApp, Instagram are all being filtered, and WiFi is on and off,” she said.
Kapıköy, located about 100 kilometers east of the city of Van, is the primary crossing point between Iran and Turkey.
So far, Turkish officials have not reported a mass movement of Iranians across the border since the bombing began. AFP correspondents on Wednesday afternoon observed a steady trickle of travelers, with several hundred Iranians crossing in both directions.
A Turkish customs official told AFP that “there’s nothing unusual compared to last year. Despite the war, the arrivals are quite stable,” noting that Van has long been a favored destination for Iranian tourists.
Nevertheless, flights from Van to İstanbul have been fully booked in both directions for days, along with long-distance buses.
Turkish bus drivers say they have seen increased demand over the past week.
“We used to have three to four buses between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., but right now we have 30,” said Ismail Metin, a driver who transports passengers to İstanbul — 1,500 kilometers away.
‘Iranians not fleeing’
Many Iranians are also trying to return home, including 37-year-old tile trader Ramin Rad.
He was in Van for business when the conflict began and was attempting to return to Urmia, the largest city in Iran’s West Azerbaijan province.
“My family is safe,” he said, expressing confidence that the war would not destabilize the government in Tehran and voicing anger at Israel.
“How dare you change Allah’s regime? God willing, Muslims will win,” he said.
Mirzanezhad Valehzagherd, a 49-year-old who works in tourism, regularly travels between İstanbul, where he lives, and Tehran. He was forced to take a land route due to the suspension of flights.
“My family lives in Tehran,” he told AFP, describing the situation as “not bad” because Israeli strikes were targeting “military” sites.
“People are not fleeing Tehran,” he insisted—his statement echoed by a woman traveling in the opposite direction.
“We live in northern Cyprus, and because there are no flights, we had to take a bus from Tehran to the border,” said 45-year-old Seher, a finance professional.
“It’s safe over there. There’s no problem.”
© Agence France-Presse