United States President Donald Trump has claimed that daily life could change for over 90 million Iranians after his deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz expires. Trump alleges that Iran's electricity, bridges, and other critical infrastructure will be bombed if it does not open the vital waterway, despite the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure constituting a violation of international law.
As the 8pm US Eastern Time (23:00 GMT) deadline approaches, Iranians are left to worry about the consequences of attacks that Trump has purportedly threatened would be the death of "a whole civilisation". "We all know he's crazy enough to do it. He doesn't care as long as he believes it serves his interest," a Tehran resident said about Trump. The US president has been making apocalyptic threats as the war on Iran, which began with joint US and Israeli strikes at the end of February, expands.
"I've been smoking more and haven't been sleeping well over the past few nights," he told Al Jazeera, asking to remain anonymous due to security concerns. He also said he has been preparing for potential blackouts in the coming days through limited actions. This includes charging phones, laptops, and power banks, using household appliances like washing machines, and buying essentials like bread and flour in preparation for potentially difficult days.
Water pumps would also stop if power goes out, so some Iranians have been filling water drums and buying bottled water, which has increased considerably in price since the start of the war as the country battles chronic inflation that predated the conflict. Long-lasting power cuts will also lead to suffering for the sick and disabled, including people who need refrigeration for essential medicines or those who require electricity to charge vital medical equipment.
Over the past weeks, prices have also shot up for all electrical devices, particularly electricity generators, ranging from smaller and quieter ones that can power a few gadgets and appliances to larger and noisier fuel-hungry alternatives that may sustain a small home for short periods. "It works to alleviate some concern, but I had to spend virtually everything we earned over the Nowruz holidays on it," he added, noting that the devices have become hard to find as goods can no longer be imported due to the war.
Milad Alavi, a journalist based in Karaj, said the past few days have already been difficult. The city, near Tehran, was the location of a major US-Israeli strike on the B1 bridge on April 2, which killed at least 13 people and wounded over 90 others. "People are buying bread, flour, canned food, and water storage containers. The candle market has also heated up, and prices have tripled. No one knows what fate awaits us. We just hope that tomorrow, we'll still be alive," he wrote on social media.
There is some optimism that Iran's relatively decentralised power distribution system will be able to mitigate some potential damages from an attack and prevent widespread or extended blackouts. Iran's Ministry of Energy said in a statement on Tuesday night that it was "fully prepared for the worst scenarios" and asked people to remain calm and ignore rumours of long blackouts.
The Fars news agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that many personnel at power plants have expressed readiness to stay beyond their shifts on Tuesday night and in the coming days to respond to emergencies. Several retired electrical workers have also volunteered to return to work if necessary. Tehran's emergency service released a list of alternative phone numbers for people to call if the city's main emergency centre is unresponsive, stating that services and consultations are available at all hours.
State media also released footage of Iranians demonstrating in front of power plants and on major bridges across the country to protest against the existential threats levied against them. Two singers released separate videos of themselves performing national songs, one on a train track and another on a bridge in Tehran. Another musician, Ali Ghamsari, said he would keep demonstrating in front of the Damavand power plant, which feeds the capital.
On Tehran's streets, state-backed motorcades continued to roam, playing revolutionary songs from loudspeakers mounted on pick-up trucks. Armed checkpoints continue to control main highways, streets, and squares. The IRGC said it would expand its target list and attack critical infrastructure in neighbouring countries if the threatened attacks proceed.
Some Iranian politicians criticised Trump for claiming Iran's "whole civilisation will die tonight" if it does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. "Iranian civilisation – grounded in knowledge, art, and literature, and above all in faith, wisdom, and self-sacrifice – has prevailed over all those who have opposed civilisation and sought to destroy the homeland," former President Hassan Rouhani said in a statement.
Source: www.aljazeera.com