People in Iran: Somehow proceed to stay – regardless of hopelessness | EUROtoday

As of: February 6, 2026 5:13 a.m

The Iranian regime brutally suppressed the protests initially of January. Thousands have been killed. In the meantime, on a regular basis life is returning, however individuals are dwelling in a state of shock – with out a lot hope for change.

“A nightmare – worse than a nightmare” – that is how a girl from the south of the nation describes the times of the lethal crackdown on protests in Iran initially of January. She desires to verify she will not be acknowledged. “It was like an apocalyptic film,” she says.

Even a number of weeks later, the ache and melancholy haven’t gone away for a lot of. Ahmad is in his mid-20s, tall, has broad shoulders and has a trimmed full beard. He studied info know-how, however he cannot discover a job. That’s why he now works in a café – from eight within the morning to eleven at evening.

There is not a traditional life in Iran. “We are under financial pressure because of the economic situation,” says Ahmed. “In addition, there is the psychological pressure that we are constantly under at the moment. No matter how hard we try to return to our normal everyday lives: it has been impossible since 2019.”

No hope for normality

2019 – again then, protests have been additionally suppressed and a whole bunch of individuals have been killed. At the top of 2022 this shall be repeated with the “Woman Life Freedom” motion. Nothing surprises her anymore, says 27-year-old Maryam – and provides: “in this dictatorship.” Her life has not been regular for years.

And it could’t be that anymore – not beneath the prevailing situations, says Farshad. He was a journalist, was in jail, and now he is a building employee. “You know, with so much that’s happening in Iran and the disappointing news – it’s impossible to go back to the conditions of two or three months ago.”

And but folks should someway get by, go about their on a regular basis lives, and get on with life. It appears like normality within the streets, however that is a facade. For many individuals there is just one factor left behind: hopelessness. As with Maryam: “At the moment I only wish for one thing: to die in peace in my country.”

“I don’t want to see any more mullahs on the streets”

Farshad’s needs go slightly additional, however he’s additionally modest, virtually accommodating to the regime – regardless of every part: “I really want the regime to come to its senses, give up its stubbornness and evil and try to please the people, compromise and reconcile with them.”

He needed folks to have the ability to stand behind the regime once more. The girl from the south of the nation is extra decisive. For her, it’s too late for reconciliation with the regime: “I don’t use the word hope, but I know that the Islamic regime is at its end and must disappear!”

Ahmad, the pc scientist who works in a café, additionally depends on this. He describes how he imagines this “disappearance” of the regime as follows: “My wish is to wake up one morning and no longer see mullahs on the streets.”