"Hopelessness"

How an Austrian experienced Iran before the airstrike

Back at home, Fritz S. follows the headlines about Iran.

(Bild: „Krone“)

Austrian Fritz S. (name changed) has spent the past few weeks in Iran with his wife. In an interview with the "Krone" newspaper, he explains how he experienced the announcement of the attack on Israel and the journey home at the highest travel warning level. The picture the Austrian paints of his experiences in Iran is unexpected.

The man traveled to Tehran, the capital of Iran, a few weeks ago due to family connections. The journey home was planned for Saturday from the outset. A happy coincidence, as it turned out.

The political situation in Iran has come to a head in recent hours and days. The plans for a retaliatory strike on Israel became more concrete, and on Friday evening the Austrian Foreign Ministry called on all Austrians to leave Iran. Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines canceled flights to and from Iran.

Back at home, Fritz S. follows the Iran headlines.

(Bild: „Krone“)

"People wanted to celebrate"
While the headlines in the local media were running, Fritz S. was sitting in a restaurant in Tehran. The mood: exuberant. "Now that Lent was finally over, people wanted to celebrate. You didn't notice anything about the political situation," says the man.

On Saturday in the early hours of the morning, the couple made their way to the airport as planned: "Normally there's always a traffic jam in Tehran. But on Saturday we got to the airport quicker than usual. Everything was well organized there too and we landed in Vienna on time." The Iranian airstrike on Israel followed just a few hours later.

You hardly notice anything about politics in the country. People tend to smile about the government and its plans.

Fritz S.

What Fritz S. reports about his experiences in the country shortly before the airstrike seems unusual. The Austrian was not afraid of war, nor did he even hear any concerns about it. "You hardly hear anything about politics in the country. People tend to smile about the government and its plans." The man thinks he knows the reason for this indifference: "Sheer hopelessness."

"Galloping inflation"
The economic situation in Iran has deteriorated drastically in recent years. "We are experiencing galloping inflation here. The state controls the economy. Everything is controlled," says the pensioner. Bread prices, for example, have increased fivefold in the past two years, young people can no longer afford housing, and two to three jobs per person are necessary to survive.

"The class of the poor is getting bigger and bigger, the middle class is disappearing. Ordinary people are suffering," reports the Austrian on the apparently hopeless situation. An expensive war would probably be the last straw for the Iranians, because: "The state only takes money from the population anyway ..."