Even before the drones and missiles had reached Israeli territory, the Islamic Republic of Iran, via its paramilitary Basiji forces, had already organised state-sanctioned street parties to celebrate. A video posted half an hour before the first missiles arrived in Israel shows hundreds of people waving Iranian flags and chanting: “Supreme leader, we are ready [to go to war].” In contrast to the apparently orchestrated public events, on social media many Iranians expressed grave misgivings about the attack and the possibility of war and further economic turmoil.
State-run television announced the massive drone and missile barrage at 11:54 pm Tehran time on April 13 (11:24 pm in Israel). State media called the attack "retaliation" for Israel's April 1 air strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria, which resulted in the deaths of 11 individuals, including high-ranking officers of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The first sirens warning of incoming missiles in southern Israel sounded more than two hours later, at 1:42 am Israel time, or 2:12 am in Iran, with explosions heard shortly afterwards.
Immediately following the formal declaration of the assault, even before the drones and missiles could reach their targets in Israel, public celebrations, apparently organised by members of the Basij, the paramilitary branch of the IRGC, took place in multiple cities around Iran.
A video posted at 1:34 am Tehran time on the Telegram channel of state-run Noor News showed hundreds of people celebrating and chanting pro-war slogans in Tehran’s Palestine Square. A huge billboard appeared in the same square the same night, showing Iranian missiles tearing the Israeli flag, with the slogan: “The next slap will be stronger.”
In an apparent effort to sculpt the public perception of the attack, both state-controlled and IRGC-aligned media outlets promptly broadcast the images of people celebrating what one pro-regime MP called the IRGC's “devastating rebuttal" to Israel.
Yet, away from these orchestrated displays of approval, in more private corners like X and other platforms popular in Iran, such as Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram, the tone among ordinary Iranians was markedly different.
The prevailing mood was one of fear of the possible outbreak of war and concern about a further deterioration of Iran’s already beleaguered economy.
'No one in Iran wants a war with anyone in the world, especially not with Israel'
Niki [not her real name] is a 25 year-old Iranian who says she first heard about the attacks through Telegram channels. Like many young Iranians expressing their opinions on social media following the April 13-14 barrage against Israel, she spoke of her fears of war and further isolation and economic turmoil for Iran.
When I saw the news for the first time, I felt a feeling of fear and horror in my stomach. I prayed that it was fake news, turned on BBC Persian, and saw that they were reporting it live, and I froze. I have never been so scared in my life.
Waiting for hours for the drones and missiles was hell. I saw a lot of people making jokes about “the war”. I also laughed a lot at these jokes. When there is a disaster in this country, we make jokes about it. I am sure it is a national coping mechanism for us Iranians, to avoid going crazy in this hell we live in.
'Why should we go to war?'
Like other Iranians posting on social media, Niki said she was afraid the attacks would lead to a new war for Iran, after the country’s devastating 1980-88 war with Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.
Just as one war in 40 years was not enough for the mollahs [the war between Iran and Iraq in the 1980s], they are pushing our generation towards another war.
If the war with Saddam was to defend our country, I respect that. But why should we go to war with Israel? What is the Iranian people's problem with Israel? Nothing. I don’t want to die for the ideology of the Basiji, the IRGC bastards that I don’t give a damn about. For the same bastards who arrest me or beat me up on the street because I don’t wear a hijab, or who killed and tortured my brothers and sisters during the protests.
Another point. They have fired many drones and missiles, what have they achieved? Nothing, neither militarily nor politically.
'Our economy is being ruined by these mollahs'
Many Iranians posting on social media noted that following the April 13-14 attack on Israel, the Iranian toman lost 15 percent of its value, reaching 72,000 tomans for one dollar. The Iranian stock market also experienced a slump.
Niki continues:
When I talk to people, they share the same feelings - family, friends, people at university, people on the street, all of them. Our economy is being ruined by these mollahs. Our money is the most worthless money in the world.
The Islamic Republic has created this image of our people: that Iranians are a bunch of savages attacking this or that country. Their actions have put us in a position where we can be accused of being an anti-Semitic nation.
International media have so far reported mixed information about Israel's reaction to these attacks. According to the New York Times, Netanyahu has decided not to attack Iran after a telephone conversation with US President Biden, while other media report that the Israeli war cabinet has decided on a decisive attack on Iran.
