Tehran, June 28, 2025 —
Tensions are rising across Iran following Israeli airstrikes that are believed to have targeted Iranian military advisers and strategic facilities in Syria and Iraq. Iran has decried these strikes as acts of aggression which has stirred widespread anger across its capital city as well as raised new worries of regional conflict.
On Saturday afternoon in Tehran’s central area, thousands gathered for public funerals of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members killed by what Iranian state media described as Israeli warplane attacks. Chants of “Death to Israel” and “Revenge will come” could be heard throughout the city streets as grieving families and supporters demanded strong action from Iran’s leadership.
Hossein Salami, a university lecturer who attended the funeral procession and witnessed this attack, said “this isn’t just an attack on our soldiers; it is an assault on our sovereignty”. People across Iran are united both in grief and anger: no longer can they remain silent about these atrocities.
Iranian authorities have charged that Israel has escalated their “shadow war” in the region, an expression often used to refer to covert and overt confrontations between both countries over time. An official statement released by Iran’s foreign ministry cautioned against attacks perpetrated against Iranian targets by Israel which “will not go unanswered,” calling upon international bodies to address what they labeled as flagrant violations of international law by Tel Aviv.
However, citizens in Tehran remain concerned that government promises of retaliation “at any time and place we choose” could escalate into a larger war involving regional allies and further destabilizing the Middle East. Citizens have expressed fear over what they perceive to be an increasingly volatile security environment.
Shirin Davani, a shopkeeper in northern Tehran expressed her anxieties: “Having seen wars rage across Syria, Gaza and Iraq we fear war could come here as well – all we want is safety for my children – this conflict seems never-ending!”
Airstrikes have also generated heated discussions regarding Iran’s role in regional affairs, with reformist voices within Iran advocating caution and restraint, while some have criticised its government for placing Iranian forces at risk by engaging militarily overseas.
Israel has not commented publicly on the latest attacks, maintaining their policy of remaining neutral with regards to operations outside their borders. However, Israeli defense officials have previously expressed that Israel will take measures against any perceived Iranian threats in neighboring nations.
As tensions run high in Tehran, calls for justice have grown louder while efforts by ordinary Iranians to prevent another destructive war are intensifying. How the Iranian government balances both factors remains to be seen.