Iranians Brace for Higher Prices as New US Sanctions Deepen Economic Pressure

TEHRAN — Anxiety and resignation are spreading across Iran as residents brace for further economic hardship following the United States' announcement of its toughest sanctions yet against the Iranian economy.

For many Iranians, the latest measures are another chapter in a decades-long struggle with sanctions that have restricted trade, weakened the currency and contributed to rising costs of everyday necessities.

At a market in Tehran's Tajrish Square, 23-year-old architecture student Taneen described the situation as a painful reality she has known throughout her life.

"We have always been under sanctions since I was born. Our table is getting smaller and smaller," she said.

She said the economic pressure was affecting virtually every aspect of family life, from food and clothing to education.

Rising Costs Hit Families

Taneen said the price of materials required for her architecture studies had tripled, raising fears that the latest US measures could make an already difficult situation even worse.

Her family, she said, was increasingly worried about the possibility of further price increases.

"It has become so much that my father says that we have to go buy food now because it is going to be expensive," she said.

The uncertainty has also affected her outlook for the future.

"We just have to enjoy the little things we have. What else can we do?" she said, adding that she has considered leaving Iran altogether.

Across Tehran, concerns about shortages and higher prices have prompted residents to stock up on essential goods. Crowds have gathered at bazaars while queues have formed at petrol stations amid fears that the new sanctions could further disrupt supplies.

Fear of Renewed Protests

For some Iranians, the economic pressure is also raising concerns about renewed political unrest.

Kia Farahani, a 45-year-old English-language instructor, said rising food prices had already forced him to abandon many planned purchases.

"I think that this war will be more economic and will cause people to feel a lot of pressure and now maybe there will be protests again," he said, referring to anti-government demonstrations that peaked in January.

The combination of inflation, shortages and declining purchasing power could place additional pressure on households already struggling to cope with higher living costs.

Tehran Rejects US Pressure

Iranian officials have dismissed the latest US threats as another example of what they describe as failed American policies.

The government has maintained that sanctions will not force Tehran to change its political course and has sought to project resilience in the face of mounting economic pressure.

However, questions remain over how Iran will navigate the latest measures.

The new sanctions threaten to exclude foreign companies and financial institutions from the US financial system if they conduct certain business with Iran, potentially making international trade and access to financial services even more difficult.

Iran has lived under varying degrees of international sanctions for decades and has developed mechanisms to try to circumvent them. But the latest measures could further complicate an already strained economic environment.

Calls for Government Action

While some Iranians expressed defiance, others called on the government to take immediate steps to protect households from rising prices.

Real estate agent Mehdi Yazdian, 55, urged authorities to take stronger measures to control the cost of essential goods.

"These sanctions have been in place for 47 years," he said.

His comments reflect growing frustration among residents who say they have repeatedly been asked to endure economic pressure while seeing the prices of basic commodities continue to rise.

At local markets, some shoppers said vegetable prices were increasing almost daily.

A Familiar Crisis

For older Iranians, however, the latest sanctions are viewed as another phase of a crisis that has persisted for much of their lives.

A 74-year-old housewife who declined to give her name said the country had endured sanctions since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

"We have always been under sanctions since the revolution, very tough sanctions. This one is nothing new," she said.

Despite the economic uncertainty, she rejected the idea that the latest pressure would force Iran to surrender.

"We will not give in to pressure," she said.

Economic Pressure Deepens

The latest US sanctions have placed Iran's economy under renewed pressure at a time when households are already confronting higher prices and uncertainty caused by the wider Middle East conflict.

For ordinary Iranians, the debate over sanctions and geopolitics is ultimately being felt in grocery bills, education costs, fuel queues and household budgets.

Whether the new measures succeed in changing Tehran's policies remains uncertain. But on the streets of the Iranian capital, there is little doubt that the economic consequences are already shaping daily life and adding to fears about what comes next.