Iranians are too busy trying to make ends meet to protest, says a man from Tehran. At the same time, women have taken off their headscarves en masse, and the spirit of change is felt on the streets. What's next?
If you talk to people in the Iranian capital, you will immediately feel the tension. There are many reasons for this, writes Benjamin Weber of ARD.
"The economic and financial burden on the people is enormous", 59-year-old Ali tells ARD. The man is retired, but his money is not enough, so he works as a taxi driver. "The government is not able to cope with this and meet the needs of the people. "It only cares about its own survival," the man adds.
"They can't afford to protest"
A watch seller near the university building said he predicted last year that there would be new protests if the Iranian currency fell below 60,000 rials to the US dollar. Today, the dollar is at 100,000.
There are no protests, the tall man in his forties admits, but he says people are too busy trying to make ends meet. "They can't afford to protest," the man says, adding that he has already lost hope that anything will change for the better in Iran.
Women have gained more freedoms, after all
The "Woman, Life, Freedom" protest movement was born three years ago after the violent death of Gina Mahsa Amini. However, the largest national protest movement in the Islamic Republic was brutally suppressed. But it changed the country, says 30-year-old Ahmad. "That includes the street - one of the places where we can see real change in society," the young man said.
One of those changes is that women have taken off their headscarves forever. 27-year-old Mariam has also done so. "That's how I walk around the city. Sometimes I'm afraid, but I'm not alone - there are many of us," she says. And this is a huge change.
The police and authorities no longer enforce the wearing of headscarves. For Mariam, this gain in personal freedom is a success. Although she is not sure how long this will last, she believes that for now the government has no choice but to turn a blind eye. "But of course, in a week it can take strict measures against women again", the Iranian woman added to ARD.
Danger of returning sanctions
In Tehran, there are increasingly concerns that no one knows what the immediate future will look like. What will happen in the coming weeks and months? After the 12-day war with Israel in June, the Iranian regime is still in power, but it is clearly weakened.
"Nothing is heard from the supreme leader anymore. And the situation is critical! "I can imagine he would have a lot to say on the matter," Mariam said.
For her, this is one of the most telling signs that something is changing. It is still unclear how much the Israeli and US attacks have damaged Iran's nuclear program. If Iran does not reach an agreement with France, Britain and Germany on its nuclear program by the end of the week, the old UN sanctions will automatically come into force. And that would lead to unclear consequences for Iran.
On the verge of a big change. But will it be for better or worse?
There is no progress in the negotiations so far, and many in Iran fear that Iran's nuclear program is likely to be the reason for another attack by Israel in the medium term. Ahmad witnessed the war in June in Tehran. Before the 12-day war, he looked up to Western politicians: "I had hope," the man says. But it was lost after the attack. He couldn't believe his ears when he heard German Chancellor Friedrich Merz say that Israel was doing their dirty work with the attack on Iran. "We shouldn't expect anything from Western policy," Ahmad is now convinced.
Amid possible nuclear sanctions, a new threat of war with Israel, an aging supreme leader and serious economic problems, many in Iran have the feeling that something is changing. While she doesn't hold out much hope, Mariam shares a sentiment. "I don't know whether it's for the better or for the worse. I really don't know. But I think everyone feels this change."
Ahmad is optimistic: "I continue to have hope despite the economic situation. I think that when the situation in Iran reaches a critical point, then it will get better," he added in the ARD report from Tehran.