Iranians Fear Escalating Conflict as Trump's Deadline Approaches

Tue Apr 07 2026 02:12:28 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

As tensions escalate in the U.S.-Iran conflict, ordinary Iranians express their fears about potential strikes on key infrastructure, responding to threats made by President Trump.

With U.S. President Trump's deadline looming, Iranians voice their anxieties over possible military strikes targeting their country's power plants and bridges. Amid internet outages and state propaganda about surplus resources, residents feel helpless and fear the impending consequences on their daily lives and infrastructure. As the potential for conflict deepens, citizens reflect on their uncertain future and the harsh realities of living under threat.

Ordinary Iranians have been responding to US President Donald Trump's threat to destroy Iran's power plants and bridges unless it opens the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said in an expletive-laden post on social media on Sunday that Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!!.

Iranian officials have mocked his 20:00 ET (01:00 BST Wednesday) deadline, with a presidential aide saying his insults and nonsense were out of sheer desperation and anger.

The BBC has managed to talk to several Iranians - all opposed the current establishment - even though it is very difficult to contact people inside Iran due to an internet blackout imposed by the authorities more than five weeks ago.

Kasra, who is in his 20s and lives in Tehran said: It feels like we're sinking deeper into a swamp. What can we do as ordinary people? We can't do anything. We can't stop him [Trump]. I keep thinking about a scenario where, in a month, I'm sitting with my family with no water, no electricity, nothing. And someone blows out the candle and we go to sleep.

While Iranian state TV has been showing videos of well-stocked grocery shops, the BBC has heard that some people are stockpiling and are worried that the water supply might be disrupted as well.

My mum is filling every bottle she can find in the house with water, said Mina, also in her 20s and from Tehran.

In January, when deadly anti-establishment demonstrations swept the country, Trump said that help is on its way to the protesters. But he did not intervene when Iranian security forces launched an unprecedented crackdown, killing at least 6,508 protesters and arresting 53,000 others, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (Hrana).

Many worried about the economic impact of the war, with some unable to engage in their daily routines. Jamshid, a restaurant owner in Tehran, expressed concern over his finances, saying his business was not the same as before [the war]. I'm not optimistic about the situation. I estimate that I can hold this up for a month, maybe two, at most. The rent is breaking my back. It's 200m tomans a month [approx. $1,270].

As fears mount in the streets of Tehran regarding President Trump's threats and the prospect of military action, Iranians are left grappling with uncertainty and anxiety in their everyday lives.