In Isfahan, a city south of Tehran, the once-bustling bazaar has grown noticeably quieter amid ongoing turmoil in Iran. Vahid, a local shopkeeper who spoke to ABC Australia News under a pseudonym, said, "Some days, I sit in my shop, and there are no customers. They don't know whether to save their money, spend it on food or buy something else."

Iran faced significant economic pressures even before the war began on February 28, a conflict launched by the United States and Israel. Prior to the war, attention was focused on a brutal crackdown on thousands of protesters rallying against the regime.

Arina Moradi, a member of the Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights, an independent Kurdish group monitoring abuses in Iran, reported that "From the beginning of this year, more than 400 executions happened in Iran." Among these, 57 were political prisoners or prisoners of conscience, many detained during the January protests.

On Tuesday, Hengaw announced the public execution in Isfahan of two men involved in the January protests — Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani, 23, and Amirhossein Safari Hosseinabadi, 29.

Moradi stated, "Every single time that the regime feels like an existential threat to itself, whether due to attacks by other countries or national uprisings, demonstrations, and protests, it always doubles down on executions."

Residents describe living under constant security measures, including checkpoints, which contribute to an atmosphere of fear and anxiety. One noted, "No-one even asks for the prices. People are completely devastated," and "People are genuinely desperate, and don't know how to move forward."

This insight into life under the Iranian regime comes as US President Donald Trump has threatened a return to all-out fighting if a long-term peace deal cannot be reached.

Sources