Three times a week, Asghar Hashemi undergoes dialysis treatment at a hospital in northern Tehran. He fears that if the power plant goes out, as US President Donald Trump has threatened in his increasingly rhetoric, then his life will be in danger.
Tehran residents on Tuesday rushed to buy bottled water and charge cellphones, flashlights and portable power banks as the clock ticked down to Trump’s latest ultimatum for a deal that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on power plants and bridges.
Despite the threats and risks to his health, the 56-year-old Tehran subway authority employee said his condition is no worse than other Iranians who have lived through attacks for more than five weeks.
“I’m worried, but I’m more worried about my fellow citizens,” said Hashemi, as he lay in his bed at Tajrish Martyrs Hospital undergoing treatment. “Whatever happens, we will persevere until the end.”
When Trump stressed that his deadline – 8pm in Washington – was final, some Iranians said they were frightened. Others expressed their resignation. And some, like Hashemi, say they are ready to defend their country.
“I will be ready to take up weapons and start the fight against the enemy,” he said.
Pedestrians walk through the Tajrish Bazaar in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco).
The Associated Press has been granted permission by the Iranian government to send an additional team to the country for a short reporting trip. AP already operates in Iran. The visiting team must be accompanied by a media assistant from a government-affiliated company. The AP maintains full editorial control over its content.
Tehran, like other parts of the country, has been rocked almost daily by US and Israeli airstrikes since February 28. Iran’s main concern immediately turned to electricity as Trump’s deadline approached.
“If there is no electricity, there will be no water, no hygiene, no nothing,” said Mahan Qayoumi, 23, who works at a craft shop, where he said his business would stop if the power went out. He took an emergency light to his apartment to prepare, noting that “all aspects of life” would be affected.
A woman carries her pet as she walks along a street market near Tajrish Bazaar in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco).
Associated Press
A young designer in downtown Tehran, who spoke on condition of anonymity for his safety, said his parents left at the start of the war, but he stayed to care for his cat, Maya. Now, because of Trump’s threats, he said he plans to drive north – which has largely been spared major attacks – with Maya and join her family.
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“If there is no electricity, there is no water,” he told the AP via the Telegram messaging app, noting the low water pressure and electric water pumps in Tehran. “You can’t cook either.”
Tehran’s sprawling roads, which overlook snow-capped mountains, have seen less traffic over the past few weeks, with many residents leaving to seek safer areas. Schools and many state institutions remain closed.
But even as some residents frantically prepared, stocking up on water and ready-to-eat food, life in one of northern Tehran’s largest markets appeared almost normal on Tuesday. People went about business as usual, fresh bread was made in bakeries, and Iranian sweets such as gaz and sohan were prepared.
“We live a normal life,” said Said Motazavi, 58, a home appliance shop owner. Motazavi said the Iranian people have a lot of experience in preparing for and dealing with conflict, referring to the Iraq-Iran war of 1980-88 and the 12-day war with Israel last year.
At Tajrish Martyrs Hospital, its director told the AP that generators could keep most medical facilities functioning if needed. He said the hospital had enough fuel to power it, as well as enough medicine and supplies to last six months.
“I don’t see any problems,” said Dr. Masoud Moslemifard, adding that the hospital had prioritized operations for those injured in the war and postponed non-urgent operations.
Tighter security, lack of internet in Iran
On Tehran’s streets, security was tighter than usual on Tuesday, with checkpoints in various parts of the capital. At major intersections, jeeps with heavy machine guns mounted on them were deployed.
The internet in Iran remains largely shut down, limiting news even as panic spreads over Trump’s warnings.
A 26-year-old Pilates instructor told the AP on condition of anonymity for her safety via Telegram that she could not prepare for a possible attack. He called this week the “worst atmosphere” since the war began.
“To be honest, we feel like we are losing control right now,” he said, describing how he had not left the house for the past few days and he and his family refused to leave Tehran. “Whatever will happen, let it happen. We are dying little by little.”
One resident told the AP that if the US follows through on its threats, the Iranian people – not the government – will be the victims.
“By attacking infrastructure, the Islamic Republic will not be destroyed, only we will be destroyed,” the woman, a teacher in her 20s, told the AP in a Telegram message, speaking on condition of anonymity for her safety.
He was worried that the attack would cause chaos. “If we don’t have the internet, and if we don’t have electricity, water and gas, we’re going back to the Stone Age, as Trump said.”
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