Travel chaos grips evacuees as missiles hit Tehran
Taftan: Pakistani nationals streamed across the Taftan border crossing on Monday, hauling suitcases and recounting missile strikes as they fled Iran following US and Israeli attacks over the weekend.
AFP journalists observed a steady flow of returnees passing through the metal gates between Mirjaveh in Iran and Taftan in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. Meanwhile, freight trucks lined up along the isolated route, located about 500 kilometres from Quetta.
Powerful explosions have shaken Tehran since Saturday, prompting several embassies to urge their citizens to leave. Consequently, Pakistani residents in the Iranian capital rushed to transport terminals, creating severe congestion.
“All our Pakistani brothers who were in Tehran and other cities had started to leave,” said 38-year-old trader Ameer Muhammad. “Due to the crowds, there were major transport problems.”
Irshad Ahmed, a 49-year-old pilgrim, said he witnessed missiles being launched near his hostel in Tehran. “There was an army base nearby, and we saw many missiles being fired,” he said. He added that Pakistani embassy officials later facilitated their evacuation to the border.
Government condemns killing as returnees recount ordeal
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling it a violation of international law. He said targeting heads of state defies longstanding conventions and expressed condolences to the Iranian people.
At the border, Iranian flags flew at half-mast while soldiers maintained security. Most evacuees crossed on foot with bulky luggage, while cargo vehicles waited nearby.
Saqib, a teacher at Tehran’s Pakistani embassy, said conditions deteriorated sharply Saturday night. “The situation became bad when attacks caused precious lives to be lost,” he said.
