A City Under Fire, A Nowruz Without Light
Narrative of War from Within
Taraneh Baniyaghoob*
Translated by Raha Sabet Sarvestany
IRWomen**
I think today is the thirtieth day of the war… or maybe the thirty-first, I’ve lost count. It’s the ninth of Farvardin. We heard several loud explosions in east Tehran again, and then the electricity went out.
They say tonight the power grid is the target. Total darkness surrounds me. I’m writing this by flashlight, my phone still holding some charge. I promised myself I would keep writing if I survived… but my mind is scattered, and the anxiety and worry for Iran’s future, and for our own, have left me utterly drained.
They say ground troops are expected to enter the country to take control of our three islands… what could be worse than this? Two days ago, the Mobarakeh Steel Plant in Isfahan, the Khuzestan Steel Company, and other vital infrastructures were attacked. Unlike the nave, I know these facilities won’t be replaced anytime soon, let alone believing we could rebuild them better.
Every night we hear fighter jets and explosions. My autoimmune disease, arthritis in my fingers, has flared up since the war began; stress has made it worse than ever. My fingers are swollen, aching. What a bleak Nowruz this is…
We spent a few days in a northern city visiting my husband’s family. There, the war felt distant. People told me, “Don’t worry so much; don’t let it ruin your nerves.” But I knew my worries were not unfounded. Every day, new photos emerge of damaged residential areas. I know my country is in danger.
During those days, I hardly slept. I kept checking the news. My two sisters and several friends are in Tehran, and every explosion makes my heart race. I call them to make sure they’re safe. My chest feels like it might burst.
On our way back, near east Tehran, explosions lit the sky red as we approached the city. Oh, my poor Tehran… my hometown, how much I love you. What a joyless Nowruz this has become…
۱۰ Farvardin 1405
*journalist and women’s rights activist
**Iranian Women’s Center
Photo by: Abolfazl Nesaei
