From Across the Border: Iranian Exiles in Turkey Watch Homeland's Turmoil with Fear and Hope

VAN, Turkey — The air in the small cafe is thick with cigarette smoke and tension. Here, just 100 kilometers from the Iranian border, the latest news from home flashes on a phone screen, met with a collective intake of breath. For the community of Iranian exiles in this Turkish city, every update is a visceral reminder of the chaos they escaped and the loved ones they left behind.

Mahsa (a pseudonym), a 30-year-old from Tehran, fled to Van three years ago following the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests. Now, as Iran confronts another wave of demonstrations sparked by economic despair, she finds herself trapped in a familiar cycle of dread. "It's raw all over again," she told AFP, her voice barely above a whisper. "You go weeks without hearing a true word from family, and when you do, you hear the fear in the silence."

The recent protests, which began over soaring prices and corruption, quickly evolved into broader calls for political change. The government's response has been swift and severe: an internet blackout, a violent security crackdown, and a renewed climate of intimidation. Rights groups estimate the death toll runs into the thousands.

"They told me they're okay," Mahsa said of her family in Tehran. "But they are afraid to talk on the phone, afraid to go outside. On state TV, the warning is clear: 'Do not speak, or your family will pay the price.'" She adopted her pseudonym in tribute to Mahsa Amini, whose death in custody in 2022 ignited the previous uprising.

The sense of helplessness is palpable among the exiles. Yet, opinions on the path forward fracture along lines of desperation. Nilufer, 35, a former civil servant who arrived last year, advocates for drastic international intervention. "I hope for strikes, for anything," she said, her tone sharp with fury. "No foreign action could kill as many as this regime has killed its own people. They have disgusted not just Iran, but the entire Muslim world."

Others, like Mahsa, fear further bloodshed. "We want freedom, a future, an end to oppression. Religion should be personal," she said. "But how many more innocent people will die if this becomes a war?"

The exiles' plight underscores a broader regional crisis. Turkey hosts one of the world's largest refugee populations, including many Iranians. Their presence is a constant, living testament to the enduring instability of their homeland, where economic collapse and social repression continue to fuel a slow-burning revolt.

Voices from the Cafe: A Spectrum of Reaction

Kian, 42, Journalist: "The information blackout is the real weapon. It allows atrocity to flourish in the dark. The world must pressure for access and accountability, not just issue statements."

Roya, 28, Student: "My heart breaks daily. I see the videos of bravery and the news of deaths. We feel guilty for our safety here. All we can do is amplify their voices online."

Darius, 50, Businessman: "This is the inevitable result of decades of failed policy and isolation. The regime has bankrupted the country in every sense. The people have nothing left to lose, which makes them incredibly dangerous to those in power."

Elham, 33, Activist (Voice rising with emotion): "Where is the global outrage? Where are the sanctions that actually target the Revolutionary Guards, not the people? The West trades and negotiates while our sisters and brothers are shot in the streets. It's a grotesque betrayal. This isn't just Iran's problem; it's a test of whether the international community has any moral spine left!"