The Turkish city of Van is a popular destination for day trippers from Iran. But for the past two weeks, the place has also been a refuge for Iranians, NU.nl saw on the spot. There they could not only escape the air strikes, but also the Iranian regime.
Blue eyes are not common in Iran. Yet I – light hair and blue eyes – am asked by my taxi driver upon arrival in Van if I come from Iran. Because driving Iranians to and from the airport is more the rule than the exception. Especially in the last two weeks.
Many Iranians are in Van because they wanted to escape the Israeli attacks. So did colleagues Mohammad, Ali and Golnaz. The day after the first shelling of the Iranian capital Tehran, they left. Not only because of the violence, but also because the internet was shut down. As a result, they could no longer do their work – technical inspections.
Through their German employer, they were able to go to Turkey to work online remotely. “Of course we were angry when the attacks started, but especially at our own government,” says Mohammad. “Moreover, in my opinion the population was not the target.”
“I condemn the Israeli attacks and consider them illegal,” Ali adds. “At the same time, our regime is also wrong. People like us are actually caught between two evils.”
‘Staying in Van gives Iranians air’
Mohammad, Ali and Golnaz are in Van for the first time and understand the attraction. It is the largest city in the area and is located ‘only’ 100 kilometers from the Iranian border, a distance that is negligible in this region. Moreover, Iranians have access to a tourist visa that allows them to stay in Turkey for up to ninety days.
Above all, more is possible and allowed in Van. “Here we can drink alcohol in a café,” says Ali. The city council and local entrepreneurs seem to be responding to this, because for a Turkish provincial town there are a striking number of pubs and liquor stores in the center.
“And I don’t have to wear a headscarf,” Golnaz adds. That is something Ayda is also happy with. She works in a catering establishment that is often frequented by Iranians. “Staying in Van gives Iranians air. Women don’t have to worry about dress codes here. This way we can escape the pressure of the regime for a while.”
A little further on is Safa Kousehlou (the woman on the right in the main photo). She sells tickets for boat trips, tours and nightclubs. She also emphasizes the importance of the freedoms that Iranians enjoy in Van. “It gives peace of mind. We can dress as we want here, do what we want and speak freely.”
Many Iranians remarkably reluctant with information
But just because Iranians in Van can say what’s what doesn’t mean they all do. For example, they prefer not to talk about war with Israel in detail, even though it now seems to be over. Only Zanjan Saeed wants to share his outspoken opinion: “Death to Israel.”
Zanjan works as a plumber in Turkey from time to time, but he is not very hopeful about the future. After some prodding, he still wants to say something: Iran should receive more respect from the international community. Zanjan leaves open how that is consistent with his earlier statement.
Many other Iranians are remarkably reluctant with information. At the bus station in Van are a number of Iranians who live in Canada. One of them is a woman who has just arrived with her two daughters. She doesn’t want to give her name. Because of the recent violence, she has decided not to travel on to her home country after all. Instead, she is going somewhere else in Turkey with friends. She doesn’t know exactly where yet.
For a moment it seems as if she is willing to answer a number of substantive questions from NU.nl. But after consulting with another lady in the group, she decides to refrain from it after all. She doesn’t feel comfortable with it. Earlier, Ayda also wanted to say little about the war. She only said that she is relieved that the shelling is over.
‘You don’t achieve change with air strikes’
Sixteen-year-old Mobin from Urumiyah is willing to talk. He and his mother have been in Turkey for a week now. Here they are playing it safe. Because of the recent violence, they do not want to return to their country for the time being. The fact that the shelling has now stopped gives them cautious hope.
Yet Mobin sees a future for himself in Turkey, not in Iran. At least in the near future. For his country and the region, he simply hopes that mutual ties will be strengthened and restored.
Mensur already lives abroad, coincidentally also in Canada. For his company, he had to be in his hometown of Tehran earlier this month. The working visit was shortened due to the violence. “We just have to deal with it,” he sighs. “It seems to be part of existence.”
Like Mohammad, Ali and Golnaz, Mensur also does not believe that the Iranians themselves were the target of the recent attacks. His company also literally and figuratively remained out of range. He hopes for change and improvement in the future. The fall of the Iranian regime could be part of that. But, Mensur emphasizes, “that process must be initiated by the population itself, not by air strikes from outside.”