The capital's almost 10 million residents have now been left to decide whether to shelter in their homes - bracing themselves for what could come next - or attempt to join the heavy traffic leaving the country's capital.

President Trump made his comments just moments before cutting short his trip to the G7 in Canada, leaving many wondering if this could mean a further escalation in the conflict between Israel and Iran was imminent. Many of those deciding to leave Tehran are posting images of their homes online, a poignant trend in Persian-language social media for those leaving their city behind.

BBC journalists are currently unable to report in Iran due to restrictions by the Iranian government. However, BBC Persian and other BBC correspondents have received messages from people affected. They have also conducted interviews and monitored social media to gather people's stories. Many fear speaking to media could put them at risk inside Iran, so real names have not been used. Some Iranians had already taken the decision to leave well before Israel issued the first evacuation order for parts of Tehran on Monday.

One resident, Arash, set off from Tehran at about 08:45 on Monday, driving through the town of Qazvin, in north-western Iran. A journey that would typically last an hour-and-a-half took him nearly five hours. "Many, especially those who live abroad, are trying to leave the country," he said.

Many more Iranians living in Tehran have decided to leave since Monday, braving traffic jams of up to 14 hours and fuel queues to flee - unsure if their homes will still be standing when they return.

It is expected that even more will attempt to make the arduous journey out of Tehran following Trump's comments. Posting on social media, one resident wrote: "I packed up keepsakes from loved ones and necessities, watered my plants, and hit the road. Leaving home is unbearably hard when you don't know if you'll ever return." (BBC/ Social media)