Across Iran's capital, the talk always seems to come back to how things may get worse.
Battered by U.S. sanctions and its depreciating rial currency, Iran's 80 million people struggle to buy meat, medicine and other staples of daily life.
Now they wonder aloud about America's intentions as it rushes an aircraft carrier and other forces to the region over a still-unexplained threat it perceives from Iran.
The Associated Press spoke to a variety of people on Tehran's streets recently, ranging from young and old, women wearing the all-encompassing black chador to those loosely covering their hair.
Most say they believe a war will not come to the region, though they remain willing to defend their country. They think Iran should try to talk to the U.S. to help its anemic economy, even as they see President Donald Trump as an erratic and untrustworthy adversary.
"Trump is not predictable at all and one doesn't know how to react to him and what is the right thing to do against him," said Afra Hamedzadeh, a 20-year-old civil servant and university student. "Since he controls the global economy we are somehow left with few options."
"But right now America just says, 'I'm coming,' to scare Iran."
"I think the government should do something to avoid war," Mirzaei said. "If war was good, then Afghanistan and Iraq would not be the mess that we see on TV."
"I think both sides will be losers if they fight each other," Hadavand said. "I think there are wise people on both sides to advocate peace, not war."
"The economic situation is very bad, very bad. Unemployment is very high, and those who had jobs have lost theirs," said Sadeghi, the housewife. "Young people can't find good jobs, or get married, or become independent."
"We should go and talk to America with courage and strength. We are able to do that, others have done it," Maleki said. "We can make concessions and win concessions. We have no other choice."
"So I don't think we should remain committed to the deal until the end."
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