Sawt Falasteen - Tehran resembles ghost town as bombs rain down

"I'm afraid to walk in the deserted streets because bombs are still falling from the sky," said Samireh, a 33-year-old nurse, who did not want to give her family name.

The Iranian capital is normally home to some 10 million people, but in recent days "there are so few people that you'd think no one ever lived here", she added.

Powerful explosions rocked Tehran for the fourth day running on Tuesday, sending thick clouds of grey smoke into the blue sky, AFP journalists said.

"Last night, we slept on the floor with our heads protected in the middle of the apartment", as far as possible from the windows in the bedroom and the ones in the living room, said 50-year-old Amir, "just to be safe in case the shockwaves shattered the glass".

Still, "my wife insists that we stay to see what happens", he added.

The most-affected areas are those that house the centres of power, such as ministries, courts or the headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards, which were targeted by strikes on Sunday.

Elnaz, 39, said it was "difficult" to stay safe because the raids also target police officers' homes, but "we don't know all our neighbours".

During the night from Monday to Tuesday, Israel issued calls on X for residents to evacuate the area where state broadcaster IRIB is located ahead of strikes.

But few people saw the warnings, as they did not have internet access.

On Tuesday, local media reported strikes at the city's Mehrabad airport, which mainly handles domestic flights, and in the central part of town, home to numerous government buildings.

Ferdowsi Square, one of the main junctions in the city centre, is now lined with buildings blown apart by explosions.

A flag of the Islamic republic has been planted in the rubble.

Nearby, a huge billboard covering an entire building displays a portrait of the late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in strikes on Saturday.

Police officers, armed security forces and armoured vehicles were stationed at main junctions, carrying out random checks on vehicles.

- Meows and birdsong -

The Iranian government on Saturday urged residents in Tehran to leave the city "while remaining calm", after the first Israeli and US strikes on Khamenei's residence.

"I have to stay because I'm a nurse. Otherwise I would have definitely already left the capital," said Samireh.

In the more upmarket north of Tehran, many residents appeared to have left, with the meowing of cats and birdsong replacing the usual din of traffic jams.

Trendy cafes and restaurants, which are typically lively in the evening, were closed.

Streets were deserted and most vehicles still on the road were supplying grocers and small local shops that were still open.

Customers hurried to buy fruit and queued for fresh bread.

- Bazaar at a standstill -

Most of the shops in the Tajrish bazaar were closed. One clothes seller was desperately waiting for customers, sitting next to a T-shirt hanging up in the colours of the Iranian flag.

The bazaars should normally be buzzing with activity as Nowruz approaches at the end of the month.

It is also a festive period during which Iranians meet family and friends to try to forget the difficulties of everyday life, especially the high cost of living.

But Nasim and her family will likely spend the holiday far from her hometown of Isfahan after they decided to leave the country for Turkey.

But the 35-year-old is worried about her parents who stayed in Iran, from whom she has heard "no news" at all.

bur-video/phz/smw

P.Tamimi--SF-PST