‘Afraid for your life’: Iranians flee Middle East conflict, cross into Turkiye

As the war in Iran continues, more people are attempting to flee by seeking safe passage into Türkiye. Adrian Ghobrial reports.

VAN PROVINCE, Turkiye – In a remote region of eastern Turkiye, there’s a winding road, flanked by snow-capped mountains that leads to a historic passage that’s been used for centuries.

The Kapıköy-Razi border crossing has linked Iran and Turkiye since the 17^th century. Today, it provides safe passage for those fleeing war, as well as those desperate to get home to Iran to help aging relatives and loved ones.

CTV News travelled to the border where we met dozens of people crossing over into Turkiye, while others went in the opposite direction, down a long walkway where a country at war awaits their arrival.

CTV News also met a father and his family from British Columbia, crossing over into Turkiye after spending the previous nine days in a war zone in central Iran.

To protect their extended family still in Iran, CTV News agreed not to share the father’s real name, nor share their identity. For the purpose of their story, we’re calling him Adel.

Adel says Iranians inside and outside the war-torn country fear the reach of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and they’re worried if they talk, they or their loved ones will be targeted.

Explosions rocked the home they were staying in; he says he’s still processing what he and his family just endured.

“Loud explosions, anybody who has experienced that will understand you are afraid for your life, the lives of your dear ones,” said Adel.

Adel also notes that he feels where he was located, the attacks were precise and targeted. He wants Canadians to pay attention to what Iranians in Canada are saying about the operation many have faced at the hands of the IRGC.

“Look at the streets in Canada, look at what the Iranians there are saying,” Adel said. “Everybody has seen it, people are hopeful for fundamental change in Iran.”

CTV News also met with others fleeing the war who were afraid to speak.

One woman, looking behind at the agents at the border crossing, whispered in English that she couldn’t talk, as she hurried off to a taxi to drive her into Turkiye and away from the war.

The Kapıköy-Razi passage is the busiest of three crossings along the 560-kilometre border separating the two nations.

With the war growing more volatile by the day, Adel says he had little choice but to protect his children and wife and hire a driver to take them through Iran and into Turkiye.

Moments before he steps onto a minibus to take his family as far from the border as possible, Adel reflects on the loved ones and extended family he left behind.

“I hope that a bomb will not hit them. That is my only hope,” he said.

“Even if I stayed, I couldn’t save my family in Iran, I had to take my kids out of there and protect them,” said Adel.

When asked if he’s headed back to British Columbia, Adel smiled.

“Yes, as quickly as possible.”