A tense and uneasy quiet hangs over Iran, two months after a fragile ceasefire ended a devastating 12-day war with Israel. While missiles no longer streak across the sky, a series of mysterious explosions, crippling economic pressures, and warlike rhetoric from officials have left the nation on a knife-edge, fearing that a simmering conflict could boil over at any moment. The "total uncertainty" described by citizens is palpable, as they grapple with the dual burdens of a potential new war and a domestic crisis of soaring inflation and failing infrastructure.
The precarious situation follows a brutal conflict that, according to a recent report in Le Monde, has never truly come to an end. From June 13 to June 24, Israeli strikes—joined by the United States on the final day—pummeled Iranian targets, killing over 1,000 people. Iranian officials have warned that the ceasefire is merely a "temporary suspension of fighting," with Yahya Rahim Safavi, an adviser to the Supreme Leader, stating, "war with Israel could break out at any moment." The sentiment is mirrored by Israel, whose chief of the General Staff, Eyal Zamir, declared in July, "The campaign against Iran is not over."
Fueling this anxiety is a string of unexplained incidents across the country. Since the ceasefire, not a week has passed without a suspicious fire or explosion at a strategic site. A major blaze engulfed a petroleum products warehouse in Tehran on August 17, following a series of July fires at an industrial depot in Kermanshah, a high-tech workshop at Isfahan University, and the country's largest oil refinery in Abadan. While the government remains silent or issues denials, many Iranians suspect covert Israeli operations are ongoing. "Some say the war never really stopped: targeted assassinations and strikes continue in silence," an anonymous Iranian businessman told reporters.
The psychological and economic toll on the populace is immense. A recent poll by the Iranian Students Polling Agency (ISPA) found that 55% of Tehran residents are concerned about the prospect of renewed fighting. This fear is compounded by daily hardships, including rampant water and electricity shortages and an inflation rate nearing 50%. "We are experiencing a period of unprecedented uncertainty," an Iranian entrepreneur explained. "Production has been cut to its lowest level, while warehouses are overflowing with unsold goods." Small businesses have abandoned expansion plans, and even large companies are freezing hiring and cutting benefits to stay afloat.
In response to the deepening crisis, a group of 180 prominent economists and academics published an open letter calling for a "paradigm shift" in governance. They urged President Masoud Pezeshkian to pursue diplomacy with the West, release political prisoners, and enact fundamental economic reforms to "protect Iran." However, this growing discontent has yet to translate into public protest. As one craftsman from the southern port of Bandar-e Abbas lamented, the distress has left people feeling broken and paralyzed. "People are increasingly openly criticizing political leaders," he said, "but they are not ready to stand up and protest. Everyone is waiting for their neighbor to take action."
Photo: Generated by Gemini AI.