Iranians tense and apprehensive as whispers of war spread
LONDON - Iranian and U.S. leaders have reassured their nations that they do not seek war. But among ordinary Iranians who already face hardship from tightening sanctions, nerves are being strained by worry that the situation could slip out of control.
In interviews conducted from outside the country by telephone and online, Iranians described heated discussions at home, on the streets and on social media.
The prospect of war was now the main topic of conversation in workplaces, taxis and buses, Nima Abdollahzade, a legal consultant at an Iranian startup company, told Reuters.
"Apart from the deterioration in the Iranian economy, I believe the most severe effect" of confrontation with the United States "is in the mental situation of ordinary Iranians," he said. "They are sustaining a significant amount of stress."
