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.

Key points

• The judiciary continues to announce new executions every week, including for individuals arrested during the 12-day war in June 2025 and the nationwide anti-establishment protests in January.
• 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.
• But plenty of in Iran, including parts of the cash-strapped administration of President Masoud Pezeshkian, are wary of continuing the conflict.
• "After three pay bumps, my salary is now worth less than $500, " he informed Al Jazeera.
• But all agree there will be no "capitulation" to the United States and Israel.

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 individuals, life has become a daily struggle.

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

While other military commanders were additionally replaced, despite this, the administration 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.

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 notes 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 resisted to the agreement and favours the full and unrestricted reopening of the strait. Significant disagreements remain outstanding over Iran's nuclear programme and a host of other problems.

International mediators continue to create efforts to revive negotiations 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 administration. This person 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.

But plenty of in Iran, including parts of the cash-strapped administration of President Masoud Pezeshkian, are wary of continuing the conflict. It has killed more than 3, 500 individuals in the country, destroyed substantial parts of civilian infrastructure, and left businesses and the population in a state of prolonged limbo.

"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, " remarked Marjan, a young woman who lives in Tehran and wanted to apply just her first name for security reasons, informed Al Jazeera.

"I keep thinking regarding that life, secure frustrated that we're not given a choice to create it happen, and keep carrying on with another day. It's an exhausting loop."

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

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 regarding Iran's economic future.

In the fifth Iranian month of Mordad that concluded on August 22, the Statistical Center of Iran noted 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, remarked his salary was equivalent to more than $1, 000 per month concerning three years ago when he began at the business, but inflation has eaten into his salary.

With the situation getting worse by the day, the 33-year-old remarked 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 remarked.

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

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 administration has already reduced fuel quotas for personal vehicles and intends to rise petrol rates within weeks.

Iranian authorities have stressed that a message of "sacred unity" must be communicated to the world regarding the war. Even if most individuals are wary concerning 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 remarked on Friday.

Hours afterwards, President Pezeshkian stated during an interview with state television that the administration was facing severe financial matters, 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.

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

For context, the United Nations and international human rights organisations have condemned the executions. The administration has additionally ramped up its efforts to better enforce mandatory hijab laws a number of 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, remarked experience has shown that whenever outside pressure has climbed, 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 remarked.

Taken together, the developments around how has life changed for Iranians six months into the war? Point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.