22 Jun 2025

Iranian in New Zealand plagued by stress as Israel-Iran conflict escalates

6:24 pm on 22 June 2025
(FILES) This handout satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant in central Iran on June 14, 2025. President Donald Trump said June 21, 2025 the US military has carried out a "very successful attack" on three Iranian nuclear sites, including the underground uranium enrichment facility at Fordo. "We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. He was set to address the nation at 10 pm (0200 GMT) after deciding to join Israel's strikes on Iran's nuclear program. (Photo by Satellite image ©2025 Maxar Technologies / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / SATELLITE IMAGE ©2025 MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES " - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - THE WATERMARK MAY NOT BE REMOVED/CROPPED / THE WATERMARK MAY NOT BE REMOVED/CROPPED

This handout satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant in central Iran on 14 June 2025. Photo: AFP

An Iranian in New Zealand has been plagued by stress as the conflict between Iran and Israel escalates.

Although most of Elham Salari's family had fled from Tehran to the south of Iran, she worried about those who had stayed behind.

"It's like a feeling that your body is in a safe place, but your mind is not. It's like a detachment between the body and soul," she said.

President Donald Trump announced that the United States has completed a "very successful attack" on nuclear sites in Iran - including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan - on Sunday.

"I'm so scared. I'm so stressed... all I'm thinking is 'What's going to happen next?' Trump said he wants peace... but Iran's regime will not let it go easily. There will be a bigger war. It's going to destroy our country and our people are going to die."

Salari added it had made her "extremely anxious" to only have limited contact with her family members.

Iran's internet connectivity had been partially restored after the Iranian government significantly restricted internet access across the country earlier in the week to protect against Israeli cyberattacks.

Salari said she had woken up to messages from her family earlier on Sunday who confirmed they were safe, but she had not been able to get back in contact with them since.

"The internet comes a little bit, you get to hear about them, and then it's gone again, so that's also adding to the anxiety, because you can't hear from them... it feels like this silence is more worrying."

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