Georgia family escapes Iran after bombings began

Georgia family flees Iran after bombings

The family is safe in Turkey after escaping to the country when flights out of Iran were canceled.

TURKEY - A Georgia family is safe in Turkey after evacuating Iran.

The Modaresi family recorded a video of Israeli missiles lighting up the night sky just south of the capital city of Tehran, the first night Israel launched a missile attack on Iran.

Dr. Tannaz Modaresi, her husband, and two children arrived in Iran for a family visit on June 12.

"At COVID time, I lost a couple of family members, so I thought while I still have my uncle and other family members around, I could go visit them," said Dr. Modaresi.  "It's a good time to get the kids to see the culture, the food."

Their joyous reunion was short-lived.

The second night of their stay, Israel launched a massive airstrike targeting Iran's nuclear and military sites.

The surprise attack sparked a 12-day war. The adversaries exchanged a nightly barrage of missile fire.

"The scariest part for me and my kids was when we kept hearing the missiles going off.  The sound was crazy. That part was really terrifying that we had to hear it every night," Dr. Modaresi explained.

Concerned for their family's safety, the Modaresis decided to flee the country, but all flights were canceled because of the conflict. Their only option was to cross the border into Turkey.

The Moderasi's relatives helped the family secure a vehicle and driver for the hours-long trip to the Turkish-Iranian border.

What's next:

Now out of harm's way, Moderasi worries about her family and others during an unsteady pause in hostilities.

"We got so excited when we heard about a ceasefire. They got excited and happy too, but they are telling me they are in uncertainty. They don't know what's coming up. They are still anxious, the same as us," Moderasi said.