Lyse Doucet: In Tehran, money is short and a return to war looms over daily life

In Vali-e Asr Square, government supporters gather for an open-air debate about whether late leadership approved negotiations with America. A mural of the former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dominates the scene. A speaker argues that the late leader opposed talks with the West, while another stresses national unity and hijab policies. A young woman declares a position of negotiating from strength with the United States. Reyhaneh, a 19-year-old microbiology student, holds a photo of the new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei and emphasizes that everything is in his hands, reflecting uncertainty about leadership during the crisis. A convoy of white- and black-turbaned mullahs in camouflage is observed nearby as the scene unfolds.

Plain-clothed security personnel from Basij and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards are ubiquitous, and a short drive away on Ferdowsi Square armored vehicles with armed personnel reinforce a stark security posture.

The article notes that digital restrictions remain in force, with about 10 million people relying on connectivity for work; Iran’s communications minister Sattar Hashemi urged lifting the ban as a 'public right' while authorities indicate restrictions will stay while perceived 'enemy threats' persist.

On a bright Tehran spring day, Mohammad, a youth in a T-shirt and jeans, tends his family shoe shop as he notes job losses; his father Mustafa recalls the business has been in the family for 40 years. Shelves display trainers with Western logos and Chinese-made products. The family mentions imports are constrained, and there is a sense of resilience despite hardship. A local elder, Shahla, laments bread prices rising to three times former levels and explains the uneven impact on workers. An architect describes wanting freedom and notes the digital shutdown has hindered basic tasks, such as translating words online, with the shutdown lasting more than 50 days.

The piece references an early-2026 nationwide outbreak of anti-government protests, followed by a security crackdown in which several thousand people were killed.

The article notes that small demonstrations against rising living costs occurred in late 2025, which later fed into a nationwide anti-government protest movement.