Life goes as usual before new Iran-US talks: Tehranians

Tehran residents said they continue to live a normal life amid escalating tensions between Iran and the United States as the two sides have scheduled a new round of talks and U.S. President Donald Trump said he is considering a limited military strike on Iran.

Trump on Friday said he is considering a limited military strike to pressure Iran to make a deal.

"I guess I can say I am considering that," Trump told reporters at the White House.

The second round of indirect nuclear talks between the two countries concluded in Switzerland's Geneva on Tuesday, with new talks to be scheduled.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi told Iranian media after the talks that the talks were held in a more "constructive" atmosphere compared with the previous round in Oman.

The U.S. side said some details require further discussion, Axios cited a U.S. official as saying. Iran is expected to return with detailed proposals in the next two weeks.

The fast-developing situation gives some residents in Tehran a sense of uncertainty, but they said the country will not be scared.

"It is a bad feeling, but we are not afraid of war," said Reza, a Tehran resident.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday reaffirmed his administration's commitment to national resilience and unity, stating that Iran will not yield to external pressure as it navigates nuclear negotiations with the United States.

Some residents said so far, there have not been any attacks and they prefer to keep focusing on their everyday life.

"There have not been any attacks, and there is nothing to worry about. It does not matter whether others want to launch an attack or not. They should not do that, and we should continue our lives as usual," said Fateme, another resident in the Iranian capital.

Life goes as usual before new Iran-US talks: Tehranians

Life goes as usual before new Iran-US talks: Tehranians

Life goes as usual before new Iran-US talks: Tehranians

People in south China's Guangdong Province would hold on their must-do traditions before the annual Spring Festival in the start of the Chinese New Year, including visit to local "flower streets" to buy colorful fresh flowers and other holiday goods, and watch folk performances.

Across the province, traditional flower markets on "flower streets" usually start from three days before the New Year's Eve and last until the early hours of the New Year, prompting local residents to "walk the flower streets" in the final days before the Spring Festival, a tradition that was inscribed on China's National List of Representative Projects of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in 2021.

The fixed year-end event, blending flower trade with Chinese New Year blessings, embodies the locals' wishes for good fortune and beautiful prospects of the coming year.

In Guangzhou, capital city of the province, the Xihu Flower Market located in the Yuexiu District is the city's iconic century-old flower market.

Each flower carries a special blessing. Visitors can pick their favorite blooms based on the luck they wish for, making it a joyful and meaningful way to welcome the Chinese New Year. "I came to the Yuexiu flower market to buy peach blossoms, and I have bought some. Then I will take a look at the daffodils," said a visitor.

The flower markets this year boast many key highlights: ICH experiencing, Cantonese landscape appreciation, launch of events to support farmers and enterprises, and tech-folk fusion programs.

"We can see robot dance and lion dance here. So there will be many traditional cultural activities and some innovative elements in a flower market. It is not only a reflection of Lingnan culture, but also a concentrated manifestation of excellent traditional Chinese culture," said Wang Daxin, head of the Yuexiu District Cultural Development Promotion Association.

Flourishing flower markets in Guangdong highlight local culture in Spring Festival holiday