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An India Today ground report from Tehran details the ongoing conflict, its impact on the city's infrastructure and how Iranians have gathered at Enghelab Square to demonstrate solidarity and unity amid war.
Transcript
01:49Two people were stuck under the rubble and they had to be rescued in a major rescue operation.
01:59And the priests over here, the rabbi over here had said that there's still a lot of scriptures
02:05that are buried under this rubble and they are going to make the effort of pulling all
02:11that out.
02:11But then look around this building.
02:15This is just the synagogue.
02:17It's around, it's inside a residential area and you can see homes destroyed, devastated
02:24and abandoned.
02:26Places that were supposed to be safe abodes now kept absolutely abandoned.
02:31Some of them working to ensure that their homes are redone.
02:35But this is the cost of war.
02:37IDF called this collateral damage that the synagogue was not the real target.
02:44But the fact of the matter is that when you're at war, the targets cannot always be precise.
02:50And if it's not precise, then you end up attacking maybe who you consider your own.
02:58We are here right outside the marble throne or what's called the Takste Marmar.
03:03The sheets that you see, huge sheets covering this entire facade, this entire area is because
03:09of the destruction inside, which we'll be showing you in just a bit.
03:13But again, you know, all the windows, paints that have been shattered because of the impact
03:18of the blouse are now covered with plastic sheets or cotton sheets and work is underway.
03:25This entire area has been cleared.
03:28There's work that's going on inside, clearing up, cleaning up, and then they will be redoing
03:34the entire palace.
03:35For now, this is shut for public, but we've got special permit to enter.
03:39This is what we're showing to you what a war does.
03:42It does not just damage a country's economy or hurt the people living in that country.
03:48It also hurts the heritage and culture of a country.
03:52And that's exactly what Golastha Palace today represents.
03:56So we're here in the 14th century Golastha Palace.
04:01It's all shattered.
04:02This is called the Palace of Mirrors.
04:04And that's why we all have to wear helmets so that we are secure in case shards of glasses
04:10fall on our heads.
04:12So let's go in.
04:39So this is the Palace of Mirrors.
04:41If you see, it is one of the most, this room is one of the most impacted rooms.
04:47What you have over here is all the shards of glass that they collected and have put aside.
04:55But if you see most of the glass panes up on the ceiling, absolutely destroyed.
05:01The windows over here were destroyed.
05:03And from here, if you look out the window, what you see is the blue shield.
05:09Now, under the Hague Convention, this is the blue shield that every...
05:16I'll take Aya Satya to come to this corner because that's where it'll be visible from.
05:20That's the blue shield.
05:22It should be visible for everyone and anyone who's looking at targeting an area or a building.
05:29And in this case, this blue shield is very important because it allows you, even during wartime, to ensure that
05:37there is no attack on this property.
05:42This represents a UNESCO heritage site, so it should remain untouched.
05:47There is one they've put at the fountain and one on the ceiling to ensure that this remains a protected
05:55site, although it has been impacted because of an attack in the nearby building.
05:59But just to ensure that this faces no more damage or attack, the blue shields are up.
06:06And the blue shields are up in most of the UNESCO heritage sites across Iran.
06:13Okay, this is the Palace of Mirrors, and this is where the Shah's throne was.
06:20Farahnauz over here is going to explain to us what happened, and Aga Hossain-Sahab is going to then explain
06:26to us.
06:27Please tell us exactly what happened on that day.
06:35As you see here, it dates back to somehow 207 days back, and somehow, as you see here, there are
06:50some windows and ceiling shatters after the shockwaves.
06:54And unfortunately, the verandah, as you see in the background, is just broken.
07:00And over there, on the left, as you see, there is a window that is broken and it's also damaged.
07:06That is a verandah that she's trying to explain, that it explains on the top and also some on the
07:13down.
07:14This is a historical site, Aga Hossain.
07:18The destruction cannot be put in money in terms of damage, right?
07:23Because this is history that's shattered.
07:28As you see here, it's been in time.
07:32You can't get back to anything.
07:34For the first time, the UNESCO is also the image.
07:40They are showing the image of an image, and the image of the image was a very bright image.
07:46And the image was blank.
07:46As you know, they're the abide-up of the palm of the card,
07:48which has been very deeply buried and worked hard.
07:55Unfortunately we need to repair it completely as you see I told you the
07:59veranda the window cannot just be repaired completely but they just try to
08:04amend it and repair it and somehow fix it as well as before did the officers
08:10and officials for all who are handling Golestan Palace rush to see the damage
08:15what happened on that day?
08:29She says they themselves do it they just try to collect all the shattered windows
08:35anything that was broken by themselves just before they just been asked or
08:41somehow order to do so
08:43okay and in terms of security is are there some measures now they're taking to ensure that
08:50Golestan Palace is secure?
09:09He said as you see they just wipe off the floor as you see they just wipe off the floor
09:17completely and they have got as you have got it on your head the helmet
09:22and also some safety measures we have we have got some gloves that you need to just put on your
09:28hand so that you do not cut your hand or any kind of I don't know something happen to your
09:33hands or bodies but they just try to do so that nothing happens to anybody or no injuries happen
09:40Golestan Palace that way is quite unique why?
09:42because it not only represents Iranian culture and heritage there's also fusion during Shah's time
09:48he traveled Europe and what he did to the walls of this palace represents a fusion that maybe many
09:55might not prefer but if you see the lion over there that represents naroz which means new year
10:02lion representing the new year eating away the old year that's gone by and that's why you see this lion's
10:10image
10:11eating his prey in most of the murals that you see over here
10:17but then this fusion because then he went to Europe and he brought in the the angels and fairies
10:26and the house that you see that has been that has been that is also part of this artwork which
10:33has a cross atop which is a church
10:36so there was a lot of fusion many did not prefer it but yes if you see the murals there
10:42are angels fairies and the lion eating its prey
10:49so message of how one tradition and one culture met the other which is maybe preferred by some not preferred
10:59by many others and that's why
11:01Gulastar Palace will always remain in the hearts and minds of people as a cultural heritage site but one that
11:09also symbolizes monarchy
11:10this flag is a sign of patriotism and you're seeing it flutter across Tehran across Ingalab Square
11:20you are you're seeing a lot of people over here who come not just from Tehran there are many who
11:26have come from various other parts of Tehran
11:29we met a woman who's been here for 60 days she hasn't left this place barring going every three days
11:36to change and then come back
11:38but then what's interesting about this square is that it has made a space for everyone and everything
11:44there are children over here if I could ask Satya to come with me
11:47there are children over here who are being kept occupied by allowing them space to draw
11:57excuse me
11:59and then there are people over here who are selling things for children who come here every night
12:05there are competitions that are being held for children for the elderly there you see little kids
12:11with their crayons drawing to keep them occupied while the parents do what they have to do which is
12:19come out here stay together show unity and solidarity and here you have little kids who are drawing who are
12:32painting
12:33and then who also go give it maybe in some cases also get rewarded for it
12:40Sarah is over here Sarah you come here why
12:45because I know that we all have to stand up for our country our people and we shouldn't let the
12:52American come and invade our country
12:55that's why we will we are coming near 60
13:0360 nights
13:0460 nights
13:05okay
13:05and we are defending our country
13:08what's your name
13:09what's your name
13:10what's your name
13:10what's your name
13:10it's me
13:12Meursa
13:13Meursa
13:14Meursa
13:15are you afraid that there is a war happening
13:24meursa
13:25no
13:26no
13:26no
13:27what about you Sarah
13:28no not me
13:29why aren't you afraid
13:30because we have our people and we are all strong together
13:35and we will be stronger together
13:38okay
13:39all strong together not afraid but also saying that they need to stand together that's the message of unity coming
13:46from children here in Teheran
13:50this is what expression of solidarity looks like in Iran every night since the war people have been gathering over
13:59here at the Enkhalab Square which is also known as the Enkhalab or the Revolution Square
14:05women men children every night coming to the square expressing solidarity this is only a part of what is happening
14:15in Iran
14:16it happens across Iran but these are exclusive visuals that we are bringing to you on India today about solidarity
14:24about unity about a country standing together at a time of war
14:31we are standing with our government we are standing with our religion we are standing for everything or for everyone
14:41that wants his rights
14:43we are standing here and we will stand here because we are not weak we are powerful we are not
14:52weak
14:52we are powerful we are not weak
14:53President Trump of the US says he is fighting for your rights what do you have to say
14:57no we just we can fight for our rights not him look at the nation of America
15:05Mr. President Trump we have a question okay we have a question from you what about your nation's rights for
15:15Americans right are you thinking about the price of oil are you thinking about the price of gas are you
15:23thinking about the price of gasoline for your people just
15:27just think about for your people we don't need you here in Iraq the people didn't need you in Afghanistan
15:39they didn't need you in Syria they didn't need you in Libya they didn't need you why don't sit in
15:50your place in your chair
15:52please wait for every limit in your country please think about your country leave us we can we know how
16:04living we know how fighting we know everything about our nation our country our rights but you don't know anything
16:12about us do you think do you think they know do you think he knows what Iran is today we
16:19never give up we never give up
16:22he has to know this we never give up
16:26I look honey I'm looking at the people behind you it's a sea of people do they come every night
16:32is this how it is
16:34every night every night every night every night every night every night in the day when they are bombing us
16:39every night every night we saw their airplanes and their uh
16:51we saw everything you want and everything you can do but we don't scare we are not afraid there is
17:05nothing there is nothing meaning in fair we don't know what's fair we don't know what's
17:15what's scaring for us nobody nobody when you are bombing us we just say Allahu Akbar because we just afraid
17:25from Allah not you you are nothing for us in eye in our
17:32eyes you are nothing you have no power everything in this world is in the God's
17:40hands not you not you we see you just like a joker so keep on to your duty you
17:50are just a joker okay but if this war goes on do you wish and pray that the
17:56war should come to an end so that children are safe people are safe in
18:00Iran and across the world especially in the Arab world you know that's just
18:05across the Persian Gulf every everything in this country and Persian Gulf or every
18:14city in Iran we will die for every little city or even a glass of Persian Gulf water
18:27so we can't die for this we can I have heard a lot of people over here I have not
18:35heard a
18:36single person say that we will die or even a glass of the water of the Persian Gulf yes I'm
18:43here thank
18:43you so much for joining us thank you thank you so much you don't you don't afraid from anything
18:48because we are in the war now my country and my city and my people are seeing death war and
18:58bombs and
18:59kill people and child everything destroy places we are seeing this but we are standing if in every country
19:09Iraq or Yemen or Lebanon or every Muslim country Sunni or Shia when they are right and they want their
19:23rights we
19:24will stand with them we will stand with them Sunni or Shia what does that poster mean this one you
19:34have a place in
19:36in our country a little place in our country or in our Persian Gulf but this place is just for
19:45your die you can't just die in my country you can't just die in my Persian Gulf just dying not
19:54breathing not walking not sleeping or not you have nothing to
20:05you have nothing we have your die just in our hands so these are nights where you question why is
20:16the world at war when you have young children with bright futures and Iran over here coming together only to
20:25send that run message of strength of bravery of togetherness
20:30with the journalist Satya Rautrey at Engelab Square of Tehran Geetha Mohan for India today
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