More than 1,000 individuals have died in the hostilities according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, while many others have abandoned the country seeking sanctuary. Amongst those who left Iran amidst the bombardments is Haiti’s record goalscorer, Duckens Nazon. The 31-year-old forward, who plays for Iranian top-tier side Esteghlal, only signed for the club last summer but has subsequently returned to France, his birthplace, after departing Tehran shortly following the commencement of the attacks.

He told RMC radio about his traumatic ordeal: “I’m fine, but I’m very tired and shaken by this very eventful journey. I left two and a half or three days ago (he arrived in France on Tuesday morning). I left the capital just as the bombings started. I was already on the plane, ready to take off for Istanbul.

“We had to disembark the plane urgently, and we were told that the airspace was closed because the bombings had begun.” Accompanied by former Barcelona forward Munir El Haddadi during their evacuation from Tehran, it was whilst travelling by taxi back towards the city that they observed a missile detonation adjacent to them.

Nazon recounted: “Esteghlal’s head of security took a taxi to drive us back to Tehran. And on the way there, we saw a bombing right next to us. The missile had just exploded nearby, but I thought to myself that there might not be another one in the next minute. It was truly a war zone. To the right, there was smoke, and to the left, the entire highway was jammed because people were leaving Tehran whilst we were trying to get in.

“For us, traffic flowed smoothly, but for them, it was blocked for miles.” He soon embarked on a journey towards Azerbaijan in a minibus but was rejected by border guards, with Nazon fearing he’d be forced to return to Tehran. However, following intervention from the French ambassador to Azerbaijan, the striker managed to reach Baku and subsequently France.

Unsure of when he’ll be able to return to Esteghal, the Haiti international confessed he’s not had any contact with his Iranian team-mates who’ve stayed in the country. “I haven’t heard anything because there’s no internet at the club anymore,” Nazon revealed. “Except for the head of security who received [my message] but didn’t reply.

“I know Munir El Haddadi is in Madrid; he was able to get back before me. Moussa Djenepo (the Malian international) is really like a brother to me, and it broke my heart when we said goodbye and he left in a van for Turkey whilst I was leaving for Azerbaijan.

“Honestly, it broke my heart because I knew he didn’t have a visa either.” Nazon is anticipated to journey to North America this summer for the World Cup, marking only the second time Haiti has participated in the tournament. They are facing Brazil, Morocco and Scotland in Group C.