Iranians live in fear of renewed war with little reliable information

In Iran, where a military standoff with the United States and Israel continues after the start of the war, residents describe a constant fear of new strikes. The accounts were gathered by Germany's international broadcaster Deutsche Welle. The situation is made harder by a lack of reliable information about peace talks that could head off further escalation.

A 37-year-old mother in Tehran told DW she lives with constant fear: at any loud noise, even a slamming door, she flinches, thinking bombs are falling. Schools were closed in the early months of the war, but her children are now back in class. She said keeping them at home out of fear is not a solution.

Schools are open across the country, although some private schools have sent parents instructions on what to do if war resumes or another emergency occurs. Ali Farhadi, a spokesperson for the Education Ministry, urged people to disregard rumors that he said aim to sow fear and force schools to close. The ministry will decide, in coordination with security authorities.

Nuclear attack concerns

On November 2, Iranian state television broadcast advice on protection in the event of a nuclear strike, recommending that people stay in a shelter for at least 24 hours. Many Iranians fear the US could use nuclear weapons against the "Pickaxe Mountain" underground bunker, about 220 kilometers (130 miles) south of Tehran and close to the Natanz nuclear facility. US President Donald Trump has hinted at attacking the site but has not explicitly mentioned nuclear weapons. Iran's government denies any nuclear-program work is carried out there.

Fighting has largely petered out in recent months as the Trump administration focused on the US midterm elections. On November 5, two days after the vote, the news outlet Axios reported that the US military was making final preparations for a possible resumption of large-scale strikes.

Hamidreza Azizi, a senior Iran analyst at the International Crisis Group, said the election's implications for the war are hard to judge. In his view, Tehran sees the result as a victory and may harden its stance, while Trump has at least two months before the new Congress takes office and could resume strikes to offset a domestic setback.

Peace talks remain closed

Qatari mediators are trying to persuade Iran and the US to agree on a draft peace deal and pave the way for direct talks. Even Iranian journalists know little about them. On October 31, journalist Hadi Mohammadi wrote that domestic media are completely in the dark and must wait for foreign outlets. Some people have stopped following the news: a 72-year-old retired woman from western Iran said she avoids it and is glad her three children have emigrated.