Iran air defences 'confront hostile targets' over Tehran: state media

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00:00Let's start with the situation in Iran. There was an airstrike on a disused nuclear site this Thursday.

00:05Authorities have confirmed Kondab, that a city of Arak, was hit.

00:11Iran says there were no casualties in the area.

00:13Now, Israel has explained that this was a step taken to prevent the reactor being restarted and used for development of nuclear weapons.

00:22Iran has always insisted that its nuclear program is about civil use, generating electricity for the country.

00:28The enrichment towards weapons-grade uranium, Iran says, is about more efficient production of power and not about production of weapons.

00:36And it's accelerated, it says, only after Donald Trump scuppered the 2015 nuclear deal during his first presidency.

00:43Let's bring in our correspondent in Tehran to get the situation on his side of this conflict.

00:51Saeed Azimi, of course, straight down the middle for us here at France 24.

00:53We appreciate you being there and the risks you're taking, of course, and being in basically the zone which is being attacked.

01:02Give us your sense of what's been happening today.

01:04Clearly, we've had the hit on the nuclear site, but this is one of many that's taken place over recent days.

01:10Good to speak with you, Mark.

01:15It's been a long time since I've been a live hit, so it's good to be back.

01:19Yes, it was an attack on an R&D nuclear reactor, heavy water reactor, sorry.

01:24And Iran has taken legal action.

01:25Iran has sent in two letters of protests, one to the UNSC, United Nations Security Council,

01:32and one to the IAEA, protesting an Israeli aggression on a nuclear sphere on a heavy water reactor,

01:39which was under full verification and monitoring of the IAEA.

01:43Iran considers this aggression an illegal attack against its facility.

01:47And the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said today that Iran will do its utmost power,

01:56Iran will do what it has, what it can to follow up and pursue the matter legally and politically.

02:04Let me just put people in the picture here, Saeed, because you mentioned at the beginning of your intervention here

02:10that it's the first time you've been live for a while.

02:12There's been problems with the Internet.

02:13It's been cut off.

02:14It's been down because of the conflict.

02:16Saeed, now, live for the first time in many hours.

02:19And it's good to both see and hear you, Saeed.

02:22In terms of what is happening in Tehran, of course, we've seen images this week of people leaving the city.

02:28And this, of course, on the back of what Donald Trump said, on the back of what Netanyahu said,

02:31regarding attacks coming in.

02:33And these have been happening.

02:34What is the mood?

02:35What is the situation right now?

02:39Well, Mark, as we're speaking, the air defense systems in Tehran are actively engaged in west, east and downtown Tehran.

02:48Of course, as you said, many people left the city.

02:51And the mood there is still panic, but they're relatively safer than those who are in Tehran.

02:58And, yes, and you mentioned Donald Trump's evacuation warning that came in at 2.30 in the middle of the night,

03:06which is literally impossible to evacuate a city of more than 10 million people.

03:12Now, those who are staying, I spoke with some of them.

03:15Some of them are elderly.

03:17Some of them have no cars.

03:19Some of them have pets that they cannot travel with.

03:21It's a very difficult situation.

03:23They're now stuck at homes.

03:24And actually, I got bored from one of the people I'm in touch with, one of the Iranian diaspora.

03:32She was very concerned about an attack in the western part of the capital because her uncle lives there.

03:37And she was unable to get a hold and connect with her uncle.

03:43She wanted to know how the family is doing.

03:47But the Internet blackouts are making it very difficult.

03:50So, it's something like 250 people killed so far.

03:54That's, again, an estimate because there's no way you can get around all the sites and know exactly what is going on.

04:00And, of course, with breakdowns of communication, it's difficult.

04:03Is Iran coping?

04:04Is there enough in terms of medical care to cope?

04:07Are things being taken care of?

04:09Do the people feel that they are being cared for?

04:14Mark, I can speak for myself.

04:16In my neighborhood, people are feeling that they're taken care of.

04:20Dairy companies are delivering goods three times a day so that people won't feel the shortage of essential goods and food.

04:29And for the area that I live in has sufficient amount of fruits, eggs, milk, dairy products, and everything else.

04:41And a lot of people are feeling that they have enough medical supplies and they have enough food.

04:48They don't feel the need to rush in and buy food for reservation.

04:56But the thing is, I think some people are panicking.

05:00Some people are buying food in bulk because, after all, we're in a war situation.

05:05No one knows what's going to happen.

05:07But especially with Donald Trump saying that he wants to think this over in two weeks and make a decision about Iran in two weeks.

05:15Now people are feeling that they're trapped.

05:18They are being held hostage under the circumstances with nothing unclear.

05:23So that is the mood in Tehran.

05:25Saeed Azimi in Tehran, thank you very much indeed, sir.

05:28Take care of yourself and we'll be speaking soon.

05:30Thank you very much indeed.

05:31Our correspondent in Tehran, Saeed Azimi.

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