Lyse Doucet: Under fragile ceasefire, Iranians wonder if US deal can be done
Lyse Doucet: Under fragile ceasefire, Iranians wonder if US deal can be done
In the northwestern plains of Iran, where snow-capped ridges border the landscape, spring has begun to coax almond trees into lush bloom, while a tenuous ceasefire has allowed increased movement along highways, drawing more Iranians back to their homeland. A grey-haired banker shares his experience at a Turkish border crossing, where winter’s remnants linger in the air. “I spent a month with my son in Turkey,” he says, his voice steady as we wait in the departure hall. “In my northern city, the strikes from Israel and the US primarily targeted military sites, not residential areas or civilian buildings.” His words summarize five weeks of war, briefly interrupted by a two-week truce set to expire soon.
“I’m a bit scared,” confides an elderly woman in a headscarf, her brow furrowed with concern. She speaks of the devastation inflicted on young Iranians, from the shells that shattered crowded neighborhoods to the intimidation tactics of Iran’s Basij paramilitary forces. “It’s all in God’s hands,” she murmurs, lifting her gaze to the sky.
A young woman in a vibrant red puffer jacket and knitted hat offers a different perspective. “Of course, the ceasefire won’t last,” she declares. “Iran will never relinquish its hold over the Strait of Hormuz.” As we navigate through Turkish customs and cross into the Islamic Republic, a man nearby remarks when asked about the calm: “Trump will never let Iran be alone; he wants to swallow us whole!”
On the long drive to Tehran, the only route open since airports remain closed, the collapse of the main bridge linking Tabriz to the capital via Zanjan looms as a stark reminder of the war’s reach. This 12-hour journey now detours through winding rural roads, with vehicles braving the chill. Trump’s recent warning about dismantling every bridge in Iran echoes in the minds of travelers, though he clarified: “We don’t want to do that.” His threat, delivered to Fox Business News, promised the destruction of all bridges and power plants in an hour.
Despite the ceasefire, the targeting of civilian infrastructure has drawn growing criticism from legal experts. They argue such actions may breach international humanitarian law and constitute war crimes. Yet the US and Israel maintain their focus on military objectives, pointing to a flattened IRGC barracks outside Tabriz as evidence. A weathered flag hangs over the ruins, its presence a silent testament to the conflict’s toll.
As we stop at a roadside restaurant, the ancient caravanserai’s vaulted ceilings and stained-glass windows evoke Iran’s millennia-old heritage. The contrast is striking: some women still wear veils, while others, across all ages, choose to go bare-headed—a nod to the Woman Life Freedom protests of 2022-2023. Yet Iran’s theocracy faces more urgent challenges. New banners line highways, displaying portraits of the nation’s three supreme leaders since the 1979 revolution: Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (assassinated in the war’s first strikes on 28 February), and his son Mojtaba Khamenei, reported to have sustained serious injuries in the attack and remained unseen in public since.
Behind closed doors in Islamabad, a US delegation led by Vice-President JD Vance met with Iranian officials, including Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. The 21-hour meeting aimed to address the unresolved tensions between Iran and its archenemy, with discussions centering on the nuclear programme and new geopolitical stakes, such as Iran’s control of the vital Strait of Hormuz. The outcome of these talks will determine whether the fragile peace can hold as the nation grapples with war’s aftermath.