The silence that has settled over Tehran is not the silence of peace, but the heavy, expectant pause of a city holding its breath. Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the destructive conflict between Iran, Israel, and the United States, the Iranian capital is a study in contradiction: some residents are cautiously reopening their shops, although others gather in the streets to voice a profound, ancestral distrust of the West.
As Iranians react to two-week ceasefire terms announced overnight, the mood on the ground is fractured. In the heart of the city, the atmosphere shifts rapidly from the exhaustion of a 40-day war to the fiery rhetoric of hardline supporters who view any pause in hostilities as a tactical maneuver rather than a step toward lasting stability.
For many, the ceasefire is a fragile reprieve. At least 1,900 people have been killed in Iran throughout the conflict, and the psychological toll of aerial bombardments and the threat of total escalation remains palpable. While official channels in Tehran are framing the pause as a strategic triumph, the people in the streets are far less certain.
Disquiet in the heart of the regime
In Enghelab Square, a traditional epicenter for pro-government demonstrations, the ceasefire has sparked unexpected friction. Footage captured by Majid Nouri, the son of former prison official Hamid Nouri, reveals crowds engaged in heated debates. Rather than a unified celebration, the scenes show a pro-regime camp struggling to reconcile the sudden halt in fighting with weeks of state-led promises of a total victory over the U.S. And Israel.
Nouri, whose father was convicted by a Swedish court for ordering the execution of political prisoners in 1988 before being returned to Iran in a 2024 prisoner exchange, noted that the shock among supporters was immediate. “Around 3am in the morning after the news [of the ceasefire] came out, there were debates and arguments between people,” Nouri said. “Mainly they are shocked, they are upset.”
The tension escalated as the morning progressed. Reports indicate that pro-government demonstrators began chanting “Death to America, death to Israel, death to compromisers!” while burning foreign flags. Even as organizers attempted to temper the anger, the sentiment remained clear: a deep-seated conviction that the United States cannot be trusted.
“In no way do we trust America,” Nouri stated, reflecting a sentiment echoed by many in the hardline camp. “I don’t think there is one Iranian who trusts America. And God willing victory is ours.”
A return to the rhythms of survival
Beyond the political rallies, a different kind of reaction is unfolding in the residential alleys and commercial districts of Tehran. For the average citizen, the ceasefire is less about geopolitical victory and more about the possibility of earning a living again.
Hamid, a 43-year-old owner of a minor grocery and cleaning supplies shop, is one of many who decided to reopen his business on Wednesday. His shop had been shuttered since the first bombs hit Tehran in February. “Today feels like there is no war,” he said. “The last weeks have been very tough for my business and my family. So many people have lost their incomes. Now we necessitate to make up for the time we lost.”
Still, this optimism is tempered by a pervasive sense of uncertainty. With widespread internet blackouts continuing to hinder communication and the suppression of anti-regime voices, the full scope of the domestic mood remains obscured. For residents like 31-year-old Ali, the two-week window is too short to provide real security.
“People want the war to end for excellent, and with the conditions that Iran has set, but there’s no guarantee these will be secured,” Ali said. “There’s also no guarantee the ceasefire will last beyond the two weeks. For now, we have to wait and see.”
Tehran’s narrative of victory
While the public remains divided, the Iranian government has moved quickly to seize the narrative. Official statements present the ceasefire—and the war itself—as a catalyst for a shift in the global order. By demonstrating its ability to disrupt the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most vital shipping lanes, Tehran believes it has forced the West to acknowledge its regional primacy.
Former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati suggested on X that the conflict has accelerated the move toward a “multipolar system” where Iran plays a more central role in global power structures. President Masoud Pezeshkian further sanctified the pause, describing the ceasefire as “the fruit of the blood of our great martyred leader [Ali] Khamenei and the achievement of the presence of all the people on the scene.”
The following table outlines the current state of the conflict’s pause:
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Duration | Two weeks (initial window) |
| Confirmed Casualties (Iran) | At least 1,900 killed |
| Key Strategic Point | Strait of Hormuz shipping routes |
| Primary Iranian Objective | Implementation of 10-point ceasefire plan |
The path forward
The current pause comes after a period of extreme volatility, including threats from U.S. President Donald Trump that suggested a catastrophic escalation. The sudden shift to a ceasefire has left many observers questioning the underlying objectives of the current U.S. Strategy and whether the pause is a prelude to diplomacy or a tactical regrouping.
As the two-week countdown begins, the world’s attention turns to the specific conditions of Iran’s 10-point ceasefire plan. The stability of the region now hinges on whether the U.S. And Israel will agree to these terms or if the ceasefire will expire, returning the region to a state of open warfare.
The next critical checkpoint will be the expiration of this two-week window, at which point official representatives from both sides are expected to provide updates on whether the ceasefire will be extended or replaced by a formal peace treaty.
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