Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, Apr 9: As the United States and Iran prepare to engage in high-stakes talks in Oman this weekend, weary Iranians—battered by years of sanctions and haunted by the looming threat of military conflict—are cautiously clinging to hope, even as skepticism dominates public discourse.
The long-running standoff over Iran’s nuclear programme has returned to centre stage, with US President Donald Trump reviving his combative stance, threatening to bomb Iran if no breakthrough is achieved. Despite this, the mere announcement of dialogue has triggered visible ripples in Iran’s fragile economy.
The Iranian rial, which had plummeted to an all-time low of 1,050,000 to the US dollar, rebounded slightly to 999,000 an indication of tentative market optimism. Tehran’s stock exchange also responded with a surge, climbing 2.16% on Tuesday its best performance since January and gaining another 1.1% in early trade on Wednesday.
While the leadership in Tehran remains publicly skeptical, reports suggest the clerical establishment is feeling the heat of rising domestic discontent. Four Iranian officials earlier told Reuters that the economic crisis has raised fears of mass protests, making talks a necessary, if reluctant, step.
“For years, we have suffered over this dispute. It is time to end this standoff. We want to live a normal life with no hostilities and particularly no economic pressure,” said Amir Hamidian, a retired government worker in Tehran.
“I don't want my country to be bombed... Life is already too expensive,” he added, explaining that his monthly salary, now worth about $120, barely sustains his family.
Despite the glimmer of economic recovery, deep-rooted pessimism still lingers among ordinary Iranians, many of whom have lived through years of unfulfilled promises and fruitless negotiations.
“There will be no deal. Trump is going to bomb us,” said Minou, a 32-year-old housewife in Isfahan. “I have withdrawn all my savings from the bank to keep cash at home in case of war.”
Mahsa, a 22-year-old student from Sari, echoed similar sentiments. “I am worried to death. Enough is enough. Just reach a deal and end our misery,” she said.
The last time Trump enforced his “maximum pressure” policy during his presidency between 2017 and 2021, sanctions devastated Iran’s oil exports and spurred inflation. The current administration, under President Masoud Pezeshkian, has admitted the economic fallout from sanctions is worse than what Iran experienced during the bloody Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s.
Though hardliners in Iran still place faith in Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate authority, public sentiment remains divided.
“Our Supreme Leader is fully aware of the situation and he will lead us out of trouble,” said Mohammad Amin Hosseini, 27, from Mashhad. “Whatever he decides, we will support it.”
Economists believe that if sanctions are eased, Iranian firms could benefit from lower import costs and improved export potential. However, investors are cautious, making only short-term moves as the outcome of Saturday’s talks remains uncertain.
Despite mounting pressure at home and abroad, Iran and the US now stand at a familiar crossroads one that has in the past led either to diplomacy or disaster. For the Iranian people, though, the stakes couldn’t be higher.