Latest news with #Shiraz
France 24
15 hours ago
- Politics
- France 24
A month after ceasefire with Israel, Iranians fear another war
"I don't think this ceasefire will last," said Peyman, a 57-year-old resident of Shiraz in Iran's south, one of numerous cities hit last month as Israel unleashed an unprecedented bombing campaign against its staunch rival. The Israeli offensive targeted key nuclear facilities and military sites, killing top commanders and nuclear scientists and hundreds of other people, while also wreaking havoc in some residential areas. The attacks triggered the fiercest fighting in history between the longtime foes, ending with a ceasefire announced on June 24. But Israel has signalled it could return to fighting if Iran attempts to rebuild nuclear facilities or carry out any actions deemed a threat, such as moving to develop an atomic bomb -- an ambition Tehran has consistently denied it was pursuing. Iran, in turn, has vowed to deliver a harsh response if attacked again. Nuclear diplomacy with the United States -- which briefly joined the war with strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites -- has stalled, deepening a sense of uncertainty about what lies ahead. "I am scared the war would start again," said Hamid, a 54-year-old government employee who gave only his first name. "It will lead to the death of more innocent people and the destruction of the country's infrastructure." During the war, Israel struck major Iranian cities including the capital Tehran, hitting military sites, government buildings and the state television headquarters. More than 1,000 people were killed in Iran, according to authorities. Retaliatory missile and drone attacks killed 29 people in Israel. 'Don't want to flee again' Many residents fled Tehran, seeking refuge in other parts of the country, even though few regions were untouched by the blasts and smoke-covered skies. Nearly a month later, a series of fires that broke out across Iran in recent days -- including one at a major oil facility -- have triggered speculations which officials were quick to dismiss, denying any acts of sabotage. "This war really frightened me," said 78-year-old housewife Golandam Babaei, from the western Kermanshah province. She lived through the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, a painful memory for many of her generation. "I kept telling myself, please God, do not let the past repeat itself," Babaei told AFP. The war with Israel, although much shorter and fought mostly with air strikes and missiles rather than by ground forces, revived grim memories of the conflict with Iraq. That war, triggered by an Iraqi invasion in 1980, killed an estimated 500,000 people on both sides. It featured chemical warfare and prolonged front-line bombardments, scarring Iranians in the then-nascent Islamic republic born out of the 1979 revolution. Since then, for decades, Iran had managed to keep conflicts away from its territory. But now after the 12-day war with Israel, some Iranians feel a profound sense of vulnerability. "I kept thinking I don't want to flee again, we have nowhere to go. I cannot run to the mountains like the past," said Babaei. Uncertain future For Ali Khanzadi, a 62-year-old war veteran, the conflict with Israel highlighted a change compared to the 1980s when "we didn't have any advanced military equipment" to fight the Iraqis. Khanzadi, who was wounded in battle in 1983, said that the war with Israel, while much shorter, had a more sinister dimension. Unlike in the past, modern military technology means "they can kill a child in his sleep remotely using a drone," he said. In the face of the Israeli threats and attacks, Iranian authorities have repeatedly invoked national unity. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said the offensive was aimed at toppling the Islamic republic's clerical system, and urged Iranian diplomats and military officials to proceed with "care and precision" as the country cautiously moves on. Tehran has said it remained open to nuclear diplomacy with the United States which the war had derailed, but officials have expressed concerns over renewed attacks and demanded unspecified US guarantees to resume negotiations. Ordinary Iranians appear to share fears that the conflict could erupt again. "I hope that this will not happen," said Hamid. © 2025 AFP
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Bus crash kills at least 21, injures 34 in south of Iran
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — At least 21 people were killed after a bus overturned in the south of Iran, state media reported Saturday. Masoud Abed, the head of Fars province's emergency organization, said that 34 other people were injured in the accident to the south of Shiraz, the province's capital. Abed said that rescue operations are ongoing and that additional information and final figures will be announced after the operation is complete and detailed investigations have been carried out. He added that the incident occurred at 11:05 a.m., and rescue forces were immediately present at the scene. The cause of the incident is under investigation. With nearly 17,000 casualties annually, Iran is among the top countries for road and street accidents. The toll is attributed to the disregard of safety measures, the use of old vehicles and inadequate emergency services. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Bus crash in southern Iran kills at least 21, injures 34
At least 21 people have been killed after a bus overturned in the south of Iran, state media has reported. Masoud Abed, the head of Fars province's emergency organisation, said 34 other people were injured in the accident on Saturday south of Shiraz, the province's capital. Abed said rescue operations are ongoing, and additional information and final figures will be released to the public after the operation is complete and detailed investigations have been carried out. The cause of the incident is under investigation. With nearly 17,000 casualties annually, Iran is among the countries most affected by road and street accidents. The high toll is attributed to lax application of safety measures, the widespread use of old vehicles and depleted emergency services. Solve the daily Crossword
The National
3 days ago
- Automotive
- The National
Bus crash kills at least 21 in southern Iran
At least 21 people were killed when a bus overturned in the south of Iran, state media reported on Saturday. Masoud Abed, the head of Fars province's emergency organisation, said 34 people were also injured in the accident south of Shiraz, the province's capital. Mr Abed said rescue operations are continuing. More information and final figures will be announced once they are completed and investigations have been carried out, he added. Rescue teams were at the scene soon after the crash, which happened at 11.05am, he said. The cause of the incident is under investigation. Iran's Ministry of Health said more than 20,000 people died in road accidents and one million were injured in 2022. The high annual toll is often attributed to disregard for safety measures, old vehicles and inadequate emergency services. Former president Hassan Rouhani banned imports of fully built foreign vehicles in 2018, after US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the Iran nuclear deal. While in theory protecting Iranian foreign reserves, the move supported local carmakers, whose products have been criticised for failing to meet international safety and quality standards – earning them the 'death wagon' nickname.
Al Jazeera
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Al Jazeera
Bus crash in southern Iran kills at least 21, injures 34
At least 21 people have been killed after a bus overturned in the south of Iran, state media has reported. Masoud Abed, the head of Fars province's emergency organisation, said 34 other people were injured in the accident on Saturday south of Shiraz, the province's capital. Abed said rescue operations are ongoing, and additional information and final figures will be released to the public after the operation is complete and detailed investigations have been carried out. The cause of the incident is under investigation. With nearly 17,000 casualties annually, Iran is among the countries most affected by road and street accidents. The high toll is attributed to lax application of safety measures, the widespread use of old vehicles and depleted emergency services.
