How has life changed for Iranians six months into the war?

Tehran, Iran – More than six months into the US-Israel war on Iran, the quality of life for most Iranians has deteriorated.

Iran’s military and political establishment has managed to adapt to the changing circumstances the war has brought without making any major concessions to its ideological principles. For most of the country’s 90 million people, life has become a daily struggle.

“I just want a life that does not involve constantly clashing with others, getting more isolated from the rest of the world, and planning for survival,” said Marjan, a young woman who lives in Tehran and wanted to use just her first name for security reasons, told Al Jazeera.

“I keep thinking about that life, get frustrated that we’re not given a choice to make it happen, and keep carrying on with another day. It’s an exhausting loop.”

The war started on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes that saw the assassination of then Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as key figures in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and other state bodies.

Despite this, the government remained in place with the late leader’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, selected as the country’s supreme leader but remaining out of the public glare, while other military commanders were also replaced.

Within the establishment, there is a split between those who want a diplomatic resolution to the war and others wishing to fight until the US backs away in defeat. But all agree there will be no “capitulation” to the United States and Israel.

Iran says it has reached an understanding with Oman over opening a transit route in the Strait of Hormuz, where sea traffic has been a trickle of pre-war levels due to Iranian and US attacks.

But US President Donald Trump’s administration is reportedly opposed to the deal and favours the full and unrestricted reopening of the strait. Significant disagreements remain outstanding over Iran’s nuclear programme and a host of other issues.

International mediators continue to make efforts to revive talks between the US and Iran, but there is no breakthrough in sight while Washington has imposed its toughest-ever sanctions against Tehran.

Some of the supporters of the Iranian government, who continue to gather in small numbers in the streets of Tehran and other cities every night, backed by armed forces, are in favour of resuming the conflict with the US and want to concede no ground to Washington.

After decades of mismanagement and corruption, as well as sanctions and external pressure, the Iranian economy is currently operating at a fraction of its potential.

Iran has been in a state of “no war, no peace” for most of the past two years, interspersed with two wars with the US and Israel and the blockades. Given this situation, few are optimistic about Iran’s economic future.

In the fifth Iranian month of Mordad that ended on August 22, the Statistical Center of Iran reported that inflation was 89 percent higher year-on-year, with food inflation standing at more than 127 percent compared with the same month a year earlier.

Bijan, who works as a data analyst in a technology firm in downtown Tehran, said his salary was equivalent to more than $1,000 per month about three years ago when he started at the company, but inflation has eaten into his salary.

“After three pay bumps, my salary is now worth less than $500,” he told Al Jazeera.

With the situation getting worse by the day, the 33-year-old said he sometimes wonders what life would have been like if he had left Iran after finishing his bachelor’s degree more than a decade ago.

“Nobody thought the situation would get this bad at the time,” Bijan said.

Iran’s currency, the rial, hit a new all-time low of 2.06 million against the US dollar in Tehran’s open market on Saturday.

Damage inflicted on Iran’s oil and gas facilities, petrochemical, steel and utility plants, as well as homes, ports and airports, bridges and other infrastructure during the war has had an impact.

One of the most resource-rich countries in the world is now dealing with worsening fuel and electricity shortages. Authorities are preparing for natural gas shortages as the upcoming winter season approaches. The government has already reduced fuel quotas for personal vehicles and intends to increase petrol prices within weeks.

Iranian authorities have stressed that a message of “sacred unity” must be communicated to the world regarding the war. Even if most people are wary about voicing their opinions publicly, there appear to be glaring differences between those expressed by politicians.

“I declare categorically that the commission of any act detrimental to social cohesion is prohibited,” the latest written message attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei said on Friday.

Hours later, President Pezeshkian said during an interview with state television that the government was facing severe financial issues, struggling to sell its oil, and unable to improve living conditions for the besieged population.

In the meantime, authorities in the judicial and intelligence apparatus have moved to crack down on any action or commentary deemed to be unacceptable to the official narrative.

The judiciary continues to announce new executions every week, including for people arrested during the 12-day war in June 2025 and the nationwide anti-establishment protests in January. The Ministry of Intelligence released a list of people and media last month who must not be contacted by Iranians for national security reasons.

The United Nations and international human rights organisations have condemned the executions. The government has also ramped up its efforts to better enforce mandatory hijab laws several years after protests in 2022 and 2023 over widespread opposition to mandatory dress codes in the country.

This week, more cafes, ice cream shops and private online vendors were shut down by the authorities over alleged noncompliance with Islamic norms and laws observed by the establishment.

Sasan, another young resident of the Iranian capital, said experience has shown that whenever outside pressure has increased, authorities respond by tightening their grip.

“I feel the pain of hopelessness sometimes, of always trying but seeing that everything is working against you and your future is mostly out of your hands,” he said.