Fragile ceasefire leaves Iranians outside country torn about returning home

Overnight on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump jubilantly announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, only to be visibly disappointed Tuesday morning when both sides were accused of violating it.

For Iranians at the Kapikoy-Razi border crossing in eastern Turkey, there was a mix of optimism and confusion — hope that a delicate truce could be maintained despite the violent swings that have gripped the region over the past 12 days. 

While all welcomed the prospect of peace — even a fragile one — Iranians remained wary of speaking too openly about the effect the conflict has had on Iranian society and the long-ruling regime.

When CBC News approached a group of young Iranian women sitting on the pavement, surrounded by their large suitcases, one said she would like to speak but couldn't.

"We are afraid," she said. "Our government is shit."

PHOTOS | Iranians at the Kapikoy-Razi border crossing:

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has ruled the country since 1989. Under him, Iran has continued to develop its nuclear program, which Israel and the U.S. called a pressing threat in justifying the decision to launch recent airstrikes.

Iran and Israel have been firing missiles at each other since June 13, and on the weekend, the U.S. stepped in, dropping bunker-busting bombs at Iranian nuclear facilities, including one buried below a mountain.

In Iran, where the majority of the population is Shia Muslim, the regime has created an environment of violent suppression of any form of protest or dissent, leading to a climate of fear.

Over the last decade, Iranians have taken to the streets on numerous occasions to protest the ruling clerics and the state of the economy. In 2022, the death of a woman named Mahsa Amini in police custody for an alleged dress code violation led to months of demonstrations as well as a brutal crackdown.

At the Kapikoy-Razi border crossing on Tuesday, where waves of people are heading in and out of Iran, a few dual citizens told CBC News that Iranian authorities were searching their cellphones and looking at photos and contacts before they crossed.

One Iranian, who didn't want CBC News to use his name, asked to know the details of the ceasefire, because his phone hadn't been working and he wasn't able to get updates.

"It looked like [shooting] was supposed to stop officially at 4 a.m., but then we heard news about some missiles shooting.… So we were like, OK, what the hell is going to happen?" he said.

"I don't really have any clear understanding of who is really eager for a ceasefire."