Iranians brace themselves for war beneath veneer of normalcy

For days, the fate of roughly 90 million Iranians has appeared to swing between war and peace as US and Iranian officials traded threats of attack and calls for diplomacy.

With negotiators from both sides set for

indirect talks in Geneva on

Feb 26

– seen as the last chance to reach a deal that can avert war – some Iranians are packing emergency bags, buying backup generators and making plans to escape to rural areas or flee the country altogether.