Iranians are living between confusion and exhaustion as the country and its economy are squeezed between war and multiplying crises at home. The U.S. and Iran have been engaged in a series of back-and-forth strikes, pushing a shaky ceasefire to the edge of collapse.

Economic Woes

The deepening economic problems have stoked unrest in Iran. The country’s rial currency has lost over half its value in the past year, with exchange rates crashing to around 1.8 million rials to the dollar. This has led to triple-digit food inflation, making it difficult for people to afford groceries.

Many business owners are struggling to survive, with a member of a council representing Iranian industrialists stating that the main concern is the survival of their businesses and production. The disruption of the supply chain of raw materials, parts, and machinery due to the U.S. blockade has made it difficult for businesses to plan ahead and look toward any kind of recovery.

Desire for Peace

Many Iranians are desperate for peace, with a 19-year-old street vendor in Tehran saying he feared renewed fighting and hoped for a deal to end the war. A social media influencer and therapist in Tehran also expressed worries that renewed conflict would lead Iranian authorities to cut internet service again, crippling the digital economy and stoking job losses.

The U.S. and Iran have been engaged in talks to end the conflict, with U.S. President Donald Trump saying that significant points in the negotiations have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved. However, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that mediators were active and nothing had been finalized to end the conflict.

Original reporting: KTSA News/Talk (San Antonio) — read the source article.