Tehran evacuation: Iranians flee city after Trump urges them to leave; highways jammed, video goes viral

Videos of Tehran’s highways jammed with vehicles went viral on social media on Monday as thousands of Iranians scrambled to flee the capital, after an alarming message from US President Donald Trump amid the ongoing war between Israel and Iran, as per a report.

Iranians Flee Capital After Donald Trump Urges Immediate Evacuation

Iranians started to flee from Tehran as Trump issued an urgent warning on his social media site Truth Social on Monday, saying, "Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!," quoted Newsweek. The US president also highlighted that, "Iran should have signed the 'deal' I told them to sign," adding, "What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again," quoted Newsweek.

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Viral Videos Show Tehran in Chaos

According to the Newsweek report, viral videos and images on social media showed that there is massive traffic on a highway heading out of Tehran, with little traffic moving into the city. Tehran, with about 10 million residents, has reportedly been evacuating residents from the city since the war started on June 13 between both countries, as per Newsweek.

Several shops in Tehran were shut on Tuesday, and the city's ancient Grand Bazaar was also closed, as per the Associated Press. While, metro stations and schools in Tehran are being used as shelters by Iranian authorities, according to Newsweek.

The chair of the city council, Mehdi Chamran said, "Unfortunately, we in Tehran and in other cities do not have shelters," as quoted in the report.

Ongoing Israel-Iran War 2025

This chaos comes as the hostilities between Israel and Iran escalated last week after Israel launched airstrikes against Iran targeting the country's military and intelligence leadership, along with critical nuclear sites and scientists, reported Newsweek.

According to the report, Israel's attacks have killed almost 224 people since Friday, while Iran's retaliatory strikes have so far killed 24 people in Israel and wounded about 500.

FAQs

Why are people fleeing Tehran?
After US president Donald Trump called for an immediate evacuation, panic spread, and many feared worsening violence amid the Iran-Israel conflict.

What’s the current situation in Tehran?
The city is tense, highways are jammed, many shops are closed, and shelters are limited, as per reports.