DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The prospect of Israeli retaliation towards Iran for its drone and missile assault over the weekend has alarmed many Iranians already dealing with financial ache and tighter social and political controls after protests in 2022-23.
Iran’s political and navy leaders have repeatedly warned that they’ll reply to any Israeli retaliation by escalating additional, doubtlessly triggering but extra assaults.
And that will solely be unhealthy information for abnormal individuals, stated Hesam, 45, a trainer from the northern metropolis of Amol.
“Financial stress will mount. Our security will likely be jeopardized. … We should keep away from battle in any respect price. I don’t need a struggle. How can I defend my two kids? Nowhere will likely be protected.”
Center- and lower-income Iranians are shouldering a lot of the burden of the financial woes, with inflation over 50%; rising utility, meals and housing costs; and the rial foreign money falling sharply.
Parvaneh, 37, a mom of two within the central metropolis of Yazd, fears an Israeli strike might be the ultimate hammer blow to the financial system, weakened by years of sanctions, mismanagement and corruption.
“We Iranians have endured greater than sufficient for years. Warfare brings solely catastrophe. My husband is a manufacturing unit employee. We should not have even sufficient cash to purchase staples, not to mention stockpile them,” she stated.