As Donald Trump scaled up his threats of an attack against Iran, a recent midnight thunderstorm over the capital Tehran sent some residents scrambling out of their beds to windows and rooftops in the belief that the much-anticipated conflict had begun.
It proved to be a false alarm. But the sense of dread has only intensified. The US president on Thursday warned Iran to reach a deal within a “maximum” of 15 days, or “bad things will happen”. Washington has now amassed one of the largest military forces in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq war.
Many residents of Tehran — who are still traumatised by the war with Israel in June and a deadly crackdown on anti-regime protests last month — fear it is only a matter of time until violence returns to their lives.