While ordinary Iranians expressed exhaustion and concern about daily life, supporters of the government have projected confidence in the regime’s ability to withstand military pressure.
By Maddie Ali, The Algemeiner
The Iranian people have been living through an exhausting cycle of hope, despair, negotiations, threats, partial agreements, and a never-ending wave of repression by their own government since the US-Iran ceasefire took effect in April.
Over the past two months, amid a period of neither peace nor full-scale war, ongoing uncertainty has made it difficult for ordinary Iranians to resume their lives and return to normalcy.
Many Iranians have also expressed frustration with the US decision to negotiate with the Islamic regime, which in January murdered tens of thousands of civilians as part of a brutal crackdown on nationwide anti-regime protests.
To understand how this uncertainty has affected ordinary citizens, The Algemeiner spoke with several Iranians about life during the ceasefire and seemingly endless negotiations.
“I am at a point in my life where nothing really makes a difference to me anymore – war or ceasefire,” said Amir, a restaurant owner who organized protests during January and led them for three consecutive days despite relentless threats.
“We, Iranians, have endured immense suffering for decades. Even war no longer feels capable of shaking us physically or emotionally.”
When asked whether he would participate if protests were to resume, he answered without hesitation: “Absolutely.”
However, he was skeptical that a new wave of demonstrations would emerge in the near future.
“We have been protesting for decades,” he said. “The international community has never taken us seriously, so after a while it starts to feel pointless.”
The complex emotions felt by many Iranians during months of quasi-ceasefire have only become more intense since Sunday, when US President Donald Trump announced a deal with Tehran that will halt the war for another 60 days, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, lift the US blockade on Iranian ports, and potentially offer the ailing regime an economic lifeline.
The deal also calls for two more months of negotiations to address various unresolved issues, such as Iran’s nuclear program.
Like many Iranians, Amir said that he had hoped that increased US military involvement might ultimately weaken or even help bring down the Islamic Republic.
With the announcement of a ceasefire in April, however, much of that hope disappeared – and has not been revived.
“We don’t know what comes next,” he said. “One day there are talks. The next day, there are threats or attacks. People can’t plan for the future.”
He described the current situation as neither war nor peace, but a prolonged period of limbo that has made it difficult for ordinary citizens to make decisions about their livelihoods, finances, and future.
“After the war began, internet access was immediately cut off,” said Yasi, a freelance online translator from Bandar Abbas. “I lost my job, but inflation kept rising, making it even harder to survive.”
The digital blackout had immediate economic consequences for many Iranians whose livelihoods depended on online work and international clients.
Although internet access has been partially restored, many people still rely on VPN service to access parts of the global internet.
The internet shutdown also affected students who were planning to leave the country for educational opportunities abroad.
During the conflict, internet restrictions, flight cancellations, and the closure of embassies and consular services interrupted visa and travel processes.
“I hope that this war ends soon and we can return to our normal lives,” said Zahra, an engineering student from Bushehr.
“I fear that war could start again. It didn’t help us – but made our living conditions worse.”
While ordinary Iranians expressed exhaustion and concern about daily life, supporters of the government have projected confidence in the regime’s ability to withstand military pressure.
Among those supporters, some have voiced frustration with negotiations and ceasefire efforts, arguing that military confrontation should continue until Iran achieves stronger strategic and political leverage.
“The United States cannot be trusted when it comes to agreements,” said Ali, a regime supporter. “The only option is to resist and apply military pressure.”
He argued that Washington’s willingness to continue negotiations reflected a weakening position rather than a genuine commitment to diplomacy.
“It is obvious that the US has stepped back and wants to return to negotiations,” he said. “We must continue the war until the very end.”
Asked about the possibility of renewed protests, Ali said that he did not expect another wave of demonstrations in the current climate.
Not all supporters of confrontation with the West come from the same political background.
Similar views were expressed by Mohammed, a former political prisoner who was arrested during the 2020 protests for posting against the Islamic regime.
“I think that the US might step back, or it might return and stay involved until the very end,” he said.
“Israel, however, is almost certainly going to continue fighting the Islamic regime for regional dominance in West Asia, and I don’t believe that the conflict between Iran and Israel will end anytime soon.”
Israel participated with the US in joint military operations against Iran before the April ceasefire.
Mohammad identifies as an Iranian liberal-democrat, who is a devout supporter of former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and opposes both sides, the Islamic regime and Israel.
“In the long run, I am certain that protests will begin again in Iran because people’s economic conditions continue to deteriorate, and the government has no viable solution to address this crisis,” he added.
“Even in the short term, demonstrations could break out as a result of political infighting, power struggles, or attempted coups among competing factions.”
The ceasefire, he said, had left many ordinary Iranians feeling uncertain about the future.
In his view, negotiations and pauses in war had made it difficult for people to make decisions or plan their lives given fluctuating currency exchange rates and the price of gold.
“The ceasefire has left people feeling suspended between war and peace,” he said. “We don’t know what comes next, and that uncertainty affects everything.”
While it’s unclear how exactly Trump’s deal will play out, feelings of exhaustion and uncertainty among the Iranian population likely won’t go away, especially amid further negotiations and the prospect of the regime seeing an influx of money with the lifting of the US blockade.
