Israeli ambassador warns Iran ‘racing forward’ on nuclear program

Many described empty markets, fading Norouz shopping traditions, and the daily struggle to cope with soaring prices and dwindling purchasing power.

A hypermarket owner in Tehran remarked, "This is nothing like the Norouz seasons we used to see. People barely buy anything beyond absolute necessities. Our bestsellers now are cigarettes and large bottles of soda, while even basic cleaning products for Norouz housecleaning sit untouched on the shelves."

Iran’s economic crisis has worsened across all sectors. The rial has hit a historic low, with US dollar being exchanged at 940,000 rials. Inflation continues to climb, making everyday goods unaffordable amid misgovernance and Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” policy to intensify sanctions.

A government employee told Iran International, "A decent women’s suit costs at least 150 to 180 million rials ($159–$191). My salary is 102 million rials ($109), and 70 million ($74) of that goes to rent. How can I buy new clothes when I can barely afford food?"

Over the past five years, tens of millions of Iranians have seen their living standards erode as wages fail to keep pace with soaring inflation. Today, the average worker earns roughly $120 per month, while official estimates suggest that a minimum of $500 is needed for the basic survival of a family of three.

An employee at a clothing store in Tehran’s northern Mirdamad district said, "Customers used to rush in to buy new clothes for Norouz. Now, people walk in, check the prices, and leave empty-handed. It’s an economic catastrophe."

The Hamshahri newspaper, affiliated with Tehran Municipality, reported that vendors who once relied on strong year-end sales to compensate for slow months are now struggling, as even slightly higher-quality items exceed ten million rials ($10.60)—far beyond what most families can afford.

A pensioner said, "I receive 90 million rials ($96) a month, and everything is expensive. A kilo of beef costs 990,000 rials ($10.50), cooking oil is 5,700,000 rials ($6.10), and even a simple loaf of bread is 200,000 rials (21 cents). Fruits are a luxury now—kiwis are 1,500,000 rials ($1.60) per kilo, low quality oranges are 350,000 rials (37 cents), and the cheapest apples are 460,000 rials (49 cents). I even have to buy rice on an installment plan."

Furniture has also become unaffordable. Hamshahri wrote in its report, "If someone wants a decent-quality sofa set, they need at least 700 million to one billion rials ($745–$1,060). Even the low-quality sets, which barely last a year or two, cost between 200 to 300 million rials ($213–$319)."

A shopkeeper added, "People are collapsing under poverty, yet the Islamic Republic does nothing to ease their suffering. The streets are full of window-shoppers who can’t afford anything, and business owners are struggling with rising utility bills."

Iran International, in a recent report analyzing data from Iran’s Statistics Center warned that official figures—26.6% for food inflation and 32% overall—significantly understate the true rate. An analysis revealed that prices for 15 key household items surged by an average of 12% in just one month.

A survey of grocery prices in major cities, including Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, and Tabriz, found that household consumption costs had risen between 22% and 360% in the past week, with an average increase of 150%.

Majid Takht-Ravanchi made the remarks in a Saturday meeting in Abu Dhabi with the UAE president's diplomatic advisor Anwar Gargash.

The two sides also discussed bilateral relations as well as pressing regional and international issues, according to Iran's official news agency IRNA.

Takht-Ravanchi underlined Iran’s commitment to forging closer ties with neighboring countries, expressing Tehran's preparedness to enhance relations with the UAE based on mutual interests.

The UAE and Iran repaired their diplomatic ties in 2022, about six years after Abu Dhabi cut diplomatic relations in allegiance with Saudi Arabia after the 2016 looting of the Saudi embassy in Tehran.

According to the statement, "Hojatoleslam Sadegh Mahmoudi and Milad Damankesh were targeted by terrorists while traveling home from work in a private vehicle and were martyred in the attack." The two were part of the Shahid Sajjad Security Plan.

Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl in a statement on Saturday claimed responsibility for the attack.

Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan province has long been a flashpoint for violence, frequently targeted by Jaish al-Adl, which is known for ambushes, bombings, and armed attacks that have claimed the lives of both civilians and security forces.

The incident follows a surge in violence in the province. In February, the group took responsibility for a bombing in Chabahar that destroyed a government coordination office, as well as an armed assault on a Housing Foundation building.

Jaish al-Adl said those attacks were in retaliation for policies displacing local Baluch communities. The Baluch are one of the poorest ethnic groups in Iran, suffering from lack of decent public services and infrastructure.

Both Iran and the United States have designated Jaish al-Adl as a terrorist organization. The group has carried out multiple attacks on Iranian military and IRGC positions in recent years.

In November, four members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in clashes during a military drill in Rask County. In October, Jaish al-Adl claimed responsibility for an attack that killed ten Iranian military personnel.

"The first lesson from the situation in Ukraine is that Western support for countries and governments that are their puppets is a mirage," the post on Ali Khamenei's X account quotes him as saying in Ukrainian.

"All governments must understand this. Those governments relying on the US and Europe should look at the current situation in Ukraine," the post reads, citing his remarks from March 1, 2022.

Khamenei's office reposted his old comments in reaction to Friday’s controversial meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, in an apparent effort to vindicate his longtime opposition to the West, and the US in particular.

Over the past few hours, many Iranian hardliners have claimed that the Trump-Zelensky blowout validates Khamenei’s opposition to negotiations with the United States.

Citing Khamenei’s early February speech, in which he declared negotiations with the Trump administration would not be “wise, expedient, or dignified,” they argue that Trump's confrontational exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office should serve as a warning to those who question Khamenei’s stance.

On social media, hardliners have also extensively highlighted Khamenei’s warnings in the past about direct talks with the United States and his criticism of Trump for not abiding by the commitments the US had made in the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal and re-imposition of sanctions on Iran in 2018.

Following the Oval Office incident, some reformist politicians and commentators—who have generally supported direct talks with the United States—also voiced skepticism about the viability of negotiations with the Trump administration.

Referring to Khamenei’s early February speech, where he said negotiations with the Trump administration would not be “wise, expedient, or dignified,” they argue that Trump's confrontational exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office should serve as a warning to those who question Khamenei’s stance.

“Can an Iranian even imagine our president in Zelensky’s position?” Abdollah Ganji, a former editor of the IRGC-linked Javan newspaper, wrote in an X post, referencing Trump’s remark during the meeting that Zelensky was in no position to dictate terms because he didn’t have the right cards in hand.

Khamenei’s political adviser and former secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, shared photos of Khamenei’s June 2019 meeting with the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, during which Khamenei refused to accept a message Abe was delivering from Trump.

On social media, hardliners and ultra-hardliners have also extensively highlighted Khamenei’s warnings in the past about direct talks with the United States and his criticism of Trump for not abiding by the commitments the US had made in the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal and re-imposition of sanctions on Iran in 2018.

Incident disappoints advocates of talks with US

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a speech on Thursday that Tehran was open to talks with Washington but would not “bow to bullies.” However, he also stressed that without the lifting of US sanctions, there could be no economic improvement.

Following Friday’s Oval Office incident, some reformist politicians and commentators—who have generally supported direct talks with the United States—also voiced skepticism about the viability of negotiations with the Trump administration.

Mohammad-Ali Abtahi, a former vice president under reformist President Mohammad Khatami, dismissed negotiations with Trump as futile. “Trump and the America of Trump are not parties we can negotiate with,” he tweeted. “Imagine Pezeshkian sitting across from him—talking to this man won’t help the Iranian people.”

Reformist commentator Fayyaz Zahed condemned Trump’s public rebuke of Zelensky, likening it to “a return to the era of imperialism.” He remarked, “The real America is what we are witnessing.”

Former political prisoner Hossein Ronaghi's tweeted:

Calls for strategic decision-making

Despite the backlash, some Iranian analysts argue that the incident underscores the urgency of determining when and how to engage in negotiations with the US before Iran loses all bargaining power.

“The humiliating exchange between Zelensky and Trump proved that negotiations must happen while there are still cards left to play,” argued Diako Hosseini, a political commentator and deputy chairman of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, in an X post. “One should never enter talks under any other circumstances.”

In a lengthy thread, Mohammad Rahbari, another political commentator in Tehran, argued that the lesson Iran should take from the standoff between Trump and Zelensky for Iran is to look at international relations from a different perspective in the current circumstances. Warning against “obstinacy,” he argued that Iran should remain cautiously open to negotiations to avoid “falling victim to bigger powers.”

"Trump has not, and will not, pursue abstract goals... He knows how to calculate and knows numbers. Smart behavior towards him means proposals that are of mutual benefit, precise and clear!" Ali Asghar Sahfieian, managing director of the reformist news website Ensaf News, argued in a tweet.