From navigating the hard climate in Australia to being interrogated by the police in Egypt, Ian Andersen has faced many challenges in his bicycle trips on the continents and documenting them on social networks.
But the American creator, known as “Ridewithian” for his 43,300 followers on Tiktok, never had a war on his list of possible obstacles, until last week. In the midst of his 29 -day walk through Iran, Andersen found himself trapped just after the Israeli forces began a “preventive” strike in the country.
As Iran and Israel continue to exchange attacks, visitors like Andersen have rushed to find ways to leave the Middle East. He was among several people to document how he could leave the country, and shared his trip with the followers.
Andersen said at first, he was determined to continue his trip from Iran “as planned.” But then his guide, says, told him something that made him change course. “I can’t protect you anymore,” he said, according to Andersen. “If the police stop you, I should say goodbye that there is nothing I can do.”
Until Wednesday, the State Department had advised citizens to “leave Iran now” and have plans that “do not trust the help of the United States government.” Other governments have also warned their citizens to leave the region as the conflict develops and the airspace closes. The United Kingdom has advised “all trips to Iran.” Similarly, Australia has said that its citizens should not travel to Israel. The main US operators such as Delta and American have offered reimbursement options.
Some Americans in Israel have also been able to leave the region after the state of Florida and a non -profit organization organized a flight to take the evacuees home.
Andersen said that his departure was possible only by Praza, whose last name did not share to protect his safety and the help of the State Department.
“I had a couple of weeks there in a country of good really positive experiences,” he said in a telephone interview. “Experiment Iran as it should be experienced.”
His first Vlog of Iran, published on June 2, recorded it by crossing the country from Türkiye. Not very different from other influential people whose content focuses on trips, Andersen was also published trying different local kitchens, including a fermented yogurt drink, a Persian tortilla and Kaleh Pacheh, a stew made with the head of the goat, and showing the hospitality of the Iranian people.
“They tried to give us free and they said that we are their guests, but we had to insist,” says Andersen in a video, which Reza explains is an example of “ta’arof”, a form of label practiced by Iranians worldwide.
While bicycle throughout the country, he also captured the landscape and spoke with the spectators about the impact of the sanctions, asking in a video: “What happens when a country is isolated from the global economy for decades?”
The cheerful and fun tone of his videos began to change a week ago while he was in Chalus. Many of his followers began to comment, sharing concerns about their safety.
“Actually, we are all sad because this is happening,” he says in a video after they heard news of the attack. “But I hope for the world without war … everyone needs a peaceful world.”
The two were heading towards Tehran to try to solve a visa for Afghanistan, which was the next country on Andersen’s itinerary.
“It is surprising that even after that event, you know, an emergency, that people are very friendly,” says Andersen, after two people who eat near them bring them a meal and insist that they share with them.
The information that was available in Iran initially was not clear, and left Andersen with questions. Iran immersed himself in an almost total Internet blackout this week, limiting the ability of Iranians to access and share information with the outside world.
The situation soon became “too dangerous,” says Andersen in another video, and he and Reza decided not to go to Tehran.
“It ended up being a good decision, because there were more and more attacks as the days passed,” Andersen told NBC News while reflecting on his last week.
“There were many rumors flying on which borders could be open,” he added. “As, what, as one of the requirements, once it reaches the border? As if you can get a visa, if you can pass. A line of life came through an email from the State Department about entering Azerbaijan.”
Finally, he was able to leave through Azerbaijan with the help of Reza, who took them to the border. He said that “I would probably not be speaking here” if it weren’t for Reza.
“I am out and really grateful for all its prayers, messages and support,” Andersen wrote in a recent video update. “It is an honor to have you following this trip and worry about my well -being here in the Middle East … and finally, for my Iranian guide he says, there is no one to prefer to have had by my side.”
Andersen said that since he left the country, his thoughts continue to be with the people of Iran and Israel and are also “thinking of all the people who do not have the option of leaving, like me.”
The influential people based in the United Kingdom, Nadia Akhtar and Irfan Aziz, who go for the mango of “Fieldofvisions” in Tiktok, where they have 60,000 followers, were also in Iran when the strikes began.
The couple, who was not available for an interview, was traveling with their little son, Zakariya. They quickly realized that they were among the last to enter the country on an incoming flight and soon had a front row for attacks from their balcony.
“Iranian forces intercepted Israeli drones just above us,” says Aziz in a video. “That night, we realized that this was not normal and does not resemble what happened before. We need to start thinking about an output plan.”
The advice they obtained from the officials was simple: “salt now.” Like Andersen, They said they leaned on the help of their guide, Ali, to help them out.
Aziz said that at 1:30 am that night, they led with Ali “during the night despite being zero sleep” to reach the Turkish border.
“It was when we approached Tabriz, seven hours from Tehran, the reality of the situation began,” says Aziz in the video, and adds that they saw that the smoke rose in different areas around him.
“The locals told us that five combat planes had bombarded a cement factory at 5 in the morning. Nowhere was it really sure,” he added.
Akhtar and Aziz described their farewells with their guide when they finally arrived at the border of Türkiye as “emotional.”
“Although we just met, he sacrificed the security of his own family, leaving them in Tehran to help us,” says Aziz in the second part of his series of videos about the experience. “And for this, we will always thank you. But not everyone has the privilege of leaving like us. Millions of people just like Ali are at the end of the war that has nothing to do with them.”
