by Xinhua writers Shadati, Wu Baoshu
TEHRAN, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Even days later, Mahdi, a cafe manager in Tehran, still shuddered at the memory of the Israeli attack, fearing he might not have made it out alive.
Since the United States and Israel began strikes on Tehran on Saturday, Mahdi's cafe had remained closed. On Tuesday afternoon, he and his colleagues returned to retrieve some equipment.
As they were packing, a missile exploded nearby, knocking them to the ground. Seconds later, a second and then a third missile went off in quick succession.
"We only planned to stay 10 to 15 minutes -- grab the equipment, load it into the car, and leave," he said, his voice still trembling. "But in less than 10 minutes, the first missile hit nearby. Dust filled the air, everything went dark, and I thought it was the end of us."
It was indeed a close call.
"After the third blast, everything went pitch black," Mahdi said. "Debris hit my head. When I opened my eyes, flames were all around us, and the air reeked of sulfur. We lay on the ground for 15 to 20 minutes before we could move."
"Thankfully, we all survived," he breathed a long sigh of relief. "When we finally stepped outside, the sidewalks were strewn with stones, steel bars, wood, and the bodies of several victims."
Accompanied by Mahdi, a Xinhua reporter visited the site. The cafe was unrecognizable: walls pocked and scarred, ceiling collapsed, glass and shutters shattered, and all equipment ruined.
Lost in his thought, Mahdi barely noticed when a man appeared nearby, tears welling in his eyes. He embraced Mahdi, and the two stood in silence, offering each other what little comfort they could amid the wreckage.
Elsewhere in Tehran, Shahid Motahari Street lay in ruins as well. Local resident Mahmoodi paused with his daughter before the rubble of a building, silently surveying the destruction.
"It began with the assassination of our leaders and commanders, and now homes, schools, and hospitals are being targeted. What crime have the children committed?" he asked, his voice heavy with anger.
"We did not gain our country easily, and we will not lose it easily," Mahmoodi added. "Every alley and street is named after a martyr. Wherever you step, you see the blood of martyrs. We are an independent country, and we have not given Israel or the U.S. permission to take over."
At another site, 68-year-old Ghafori also voiced his outrage over the attacks.
"These destroyed buildings must be shown to the world," he said. "We want everyone to see what those who claim to defend human rights have done."
Although all the interviewees had suffered in the U.S. and Israeli attacks, they were among the lucky ones.
According to the latest figures released by the Iranian Red Crescent Society, at least 1,332 people in the country have been killed in the attacks since Saturday. Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani told reporters on Friday that 30 percent of the victims so far are children.
Tehran, whose name in Farsi means "a warm place," now simmers with anger and grief. ■
