Zakir Ulla Karimi’s entire family, including his mother and siblings, is in Tehran. “I just want the war to stop,” the trader said. (Express Photo by Debraj Deb)Twenty-four-year-old Pervez Ali Aman was arranging jars of saffron and cardamom at his stall at the Ocean World Carnival in Agartala when his colleague’s voice cut through his reverie. Aman, an Iranian trader, has been anxious and on edge ever since the United States and Israel attacked Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate.“My father’s family is from Iran,” he said, adding that his brothers and their families stay in Tehran. Meanwhile, news of escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan is only adding to his worries. Aman’s mother’s family hails from Afghanistan, and the unrest across the border feels personal rather than abstract. “I have worries on both sides,” he added.Aman is part of a group of Central Asian and Iranian traders who travel to India to attend fairs each winter. Starting from Pragati Maidan in Delhi to expos in Lucknow, Pune, Kolkata, and now Agartala, he has been selling saffron, dry fruits, cardamom, and jewellery for the past two years.This season, however, he is preoccupied with the situation back home. Phone calls from his brothers in Tehran have been deeply concerning. “From what we heard last night, the situation is not good. They are bombing schools, hospitals…We are trying to get our families out of Tehran, out of Iran if possible,” he said. “Iran and Israel should make a deal and stop this war.” With his brothers in Tehran and his mother’s family in Afghanistan, trader Pervez Ali Aman has been on edge over the last few days. (Express Photo)Despite being Iranian by birth, Aman has lived in India on and off since 2013. He completed his schooling in Delhi and speaks Hindi, Punjabi, and English, alongside Pashto, Dari, and Farsi. India, he said, has been good to him.“If you look at history, Iran never attacked a neighbouring country first. We don’t want any fight. All Iranians want peace. We want the USA and Israel to stop this war,” he reiterated, warning of economic consequences. “Prices of goods and oil will go higher. Businesses will be hit everywhere,” he added.The conflict in the West Asia region escalated sharply on February 28 when the United States launched strikes on Iranian nuclear and military installations, with Israel conducting simultaneous operations on targets its military described as command infrastructure. Iran retaliated with strikes on US military installations in West Asia, including Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Qatar.Story continues below this ad Pervez Ali Aman and Zakir Ulla Karimi are part of a group of Central Asian and Iranian traders who travel to India to attend fairs each winter. Their stall at the Ocean World Carnival cum Trade Expo at Agartala. (Express Photo)Reflecting on the increasing conflicts in the region, Aman said, “There is too much violence. We want peace in Afghanistan, Iraq, everywhere. The United Nations must intervene.”Aman also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi—whom he described as a consistent advocate for the Russia-Ukraine ceasefire—to raise his voice on the Iran and Afghanistan situations.At the same stall is Zakir Ulla Karimi. Also from Tehran, Karimi has been making the same fair circuit since November. His entire family remains in the Iranian capital. “I started at Pragati Maidan in November, then Lucknow, Pune, Punjab, Kolkata, and now Agartala. My mother, my brother, my siblings—they are all still in Tehran. The situation is very bad for them right now,” he said. “I just want all of this to stop.”Most other traders at the fair declined to speak on record. That silence, too, speaks volumes.