​On a bright spring day in central Tehran, Sanaei Ghaznavi Street appears outwardly ordinary: grocery stores, flower stands, fast-food counters and family-run retailers operating beneath striped awnings. Yet beneath the surface calm lies a more complex economic and political reality.
For many Iranians, daily commerce has become an exercise in resilience as inflation, digital restrictions, and geopolitical uncertainty continue to shape household decisions.
The street offers a concentrated view of modern Iran’s dual economy. Small businesses remain open, cafés are busy, and shoppers continue to circulate, but confidence is weak and purchasing power strained. Citizens interviewed in the district repeatedly … Read More