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Six months of war in Iran: Uncertainty, poverty, and threats of increased repression

From El Nacional · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Six months into a war initiated by the United States and Israel, Iran faces deepening economic hardship, uncertainty, and threats of increased repression.
  • The conflict, initially expected to be short, has led to 39 days of bombings, economic strangulation, and a severe decline in the Iranian Rial's value.
  • Iranians are experiencing widespread poverty, struggling to afford basic necessities, while the government continues its campaign of executions, including those linked to recent protests.

Six months after the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran, the country is grappling with profound uncertainty, a deteriorating economy, and the looming threat of intensified political repression. What was initially predicted by U.S. President Donald Trump to be a short conflict has now dragged on for half a year, with no end in sight.

We see no end to the war and don't know what will happen next week. We live waiting to see what happens.

— Tehran residentA resident of Tehran describing the pervasive uncertainty due to the ongoing conflict.

Iranian citizens have endured 39 days of continuous bombings, particularly targeting Tehran, and have faced threats against their "Iranian civilization." The nation's economic infrastructure, including power plants, has been bombed, exacerbating an already dire economic situation. "We see no end to the war and don't know what will happen next week. We live waiting to see what happens," a Tehran resident told EFE, having lost her job with an international NGO at the conflict's outset. She anticipates no prospects for employment with foreign companies, which offer higher salaries and foreign currency, until the war concludes.

The economic fallout is the most pressing concern for many Iranians. The country is experiencing hyperinflation, with a year-on-year inflation rate of 87.9% in July and 128% for food items. The Iranian Rial hit a new historic low, trading at 2,025,000 per dollar in unofficial markets. "Every day we are poorer, and we even struggle to buy basic goods. I don't know how much longer we can endure this disastrous situation," said Nahid, a 64-year-old Tehran resident. Fatima, 39, expressed her inability to "feed my children as I should," noting that fruits and meat have disappeared from her family's diet. "In the end, it is always ordinary people and the most needy who pay the price for war and conflicts," she added.

Every day we are poorer, and we even struggle to buy basic goods. I don't know how much longer we can endure this disastrous situation.

— NahidA 64-year-old Tehran resident illustrating the severe economic impact on daily life.

This economic crisis is expected to worsen following the U.S. announcement of "Operation Economic Pariah," aimed at cutting off all Iranian economic options to force the Islamic Republic into submission. Simultaneously, the Iranian authorities have continued their campaign of executions. Since the conflict began, Iran has executed at least 28 individuals convicted for their roles in protests that initially stemmed from economic grievances but evolved into a movement against the Islamic Republic. Dozens more have been executed on charges of collaborating with the United States or Israel. The country is also reportedly considering further repressive measures.

In the end, it is always ordinary people and the most needy who pay the price for war and conflicts.

— FatimaFatima, 39, reflecting on the disproportionate burden of conflict on the general population.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Nacional in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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