APTOPIX Iran Daily Life
Women walk past a mural at a girls school at Enqelab-e-Eslami, or Islamic Revolution Street in downtown Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026.
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Iranians face a sudden surge in prices for food and daily essentials, and many families say they cannot keep up. The mounting costs only further strain the population as they fear a possible war with the U.S. and wrestle with the aftermath of protests that swept the country last month. The rial keeps falling against the dollar, hiking the cost of imports and raw materials. Uncertainty over potential war only drives prices higher. Shoppers in Tehran say staples like potatoes, milk, and meat have risen sharply in just a month. Some are buying in bulk in case the U.S. strikes.
Iran has pushed back against U.S. President Donald Trump’s pressure tactics ahead of critical talks in Geneva over Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman dismissed Trump's remarks at the State of the Union as “big lies.” Meanwhile, Iran's parliament speaker said on Wednesday that the U.S. could either engage in diplomacy or face the wrath of Iran if it attacks. America has assembled its biggest deployment of aircraft and warships into the Middle East in decades, part of Trump’s efforts to get a deal while Iran struggles at home with growing dissent following nationwide protests last month.
