A fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran is facing new strain after peace talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement, according to BBC Hindi.
The report said the U.S. military would begin blocking ships leaving Iranian ports, while Tehran threatened retaliatory action against ports in neighboring Gulf countries. There is still no date for a new round of talks.
For many Iranians, that has deepened fears that the fighting could start again.
A 20-year-old man from Karaj, near Tehran, told BBC News Persian he had believed the two sides would reach some kind of deal. Now, he said, it feels possible that war could return at any moment.
Another 20-year-old in Tehran said he hopes the conflict does not resume, but is not convinced the calm will last. He said he is trying to stay occupied so he does not lose his sense of balance.
A 20-year-old woman said she is trying to remain hopeful now that things are a little quieter. She said she wants the war to end, the internet restored, and the two sides back at the table. If the fighting drags on, she said, ordinary Iranians will pay the price.
According to the report, Iranian authorities have kept internet access shut down for more than six weeks, making it harder for people inside the country to communicate. Officials have repeatedly said such restrictions are necessary to protect Iran from cyberattacks.
Several Iranians who spoke to the BBC said the blackout has done more than cut off access to reliable information. They said it has also damaged businesses and made daily life harder. A content creator in Tehran said no one is winning and that his savings may only cover his expenses for another two months.
Another young man said he feels somewhat better than he did during the bombing, but remains anxious. He said that even if an agreement is eventually reached, life will still be difficult under Iran’s weak economy.
The report also reflected anger as well as fear. A 30-year-old man in Karaj said he believes U.S. President Donald Trump may not be willing to strike a deal before the November midterm elections, though he made clear that was his personal view. Another man, still angry over the killing of anti-government protesters in January, said talks with the Islamic Republic would be pointless.
According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, Iranian security forces carried out a harsh crackdown on anti-government protesters in January, with at least 6,508 people killed and 53,000 arrested. Separately, the head of Iran’s Forensic Medicine Organization said authorities have identified the bodies of 3,375 people killed in the recent war.
BBC News Persian said it spoke with several Iranians who oppose the current government and noted that their views do not represent all of Iranian society. Even so, the interviews offered a glimpse of the fear, fatigue and uncertainty felt by some people as the ceasefire comes under pressure and diplomacy remains stalled.
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