How do Iranians feel about their future?
July 08, 2026
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Torbati says many Iranians had already been demanding change before the war began. When the United States and Israel attacked, some hoped the conflict might eventually lead to a different future, even at great personal cost. Instead, many now believe the regime has emerged with new leverage while ordinary people are left feeling defeated and betrayed.
Why aren’t people back on the streets? Torbati says the scale of the January crackdown left deep trauma and fear, while the government has worked to demonstrate that it still controls the public square. But with economic pressure mounting and public discontent unresolved, she argues that the underlying grievances that drove Iranians to protest have not gone away.
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