Pakistani families and students fleeing Iran have shared harrowing accounts of missile strikes, explosions, and widespread destruction as the US-Israel war intensifies across the region. Many described the ground shaking beneath their feet and buildings engulfed in fire and smoke as they escaped the chaos in Tehran.
The conflict escalated sharply after a US submarine sank an Iranian warship near Sri Lanka and NATO air defenses intercepted Iranian missiles aimed at Turkiye. With most of the region’s airspace closed, governments rushed to evacuate stranded citizens.
“I was in class when a powerful explosion rocked our university,” said Hareem Zahra, a student at Tehran University of Engineering. “We saw thick smoke and buildings on fire. Tehran was under attack until the moment I left.”
According to Mudassir Tipu, Pakistan’s ambassador to Tehran, nearly 1,000 Pakistanis have fled since the war began, out of an estimated 35,000 in the country. He noted that internet outages have made communication difficult.
Iran retaliated with ballistic missile strikes targeting Israel and its allies in the Gulf, including Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, and Saudi Arabia, following the airstrikes that martyred Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“Tehran looked deserted,” said Nadir Abbas, a student of Persian literature. Others recounted scenes of devastation: collapsed buildings, fires, and constant missile attacks. “It felt like something exploded right at your feet,” said a Pakistani diplomat still in Tehran.
One student, Sakhi Aun Mohammad, learned after reaching the border that his hostel had been hit. “Thank God you’re safe,” his Iranian friend told him.
The city now resembles a ghost town, with destruction visible everywhere. These firsthand accounts paint a grim picture of life in Tehran amid escalating conflict, as Pakistanis continue to flee for safety.
