Life in Iran: Between Reality and Dreams | by Hedieh | Sep, 2025
Life in Iran: Between Reality and Dreams
Iran is a land of thousands of years of history, culture, and beauty. A country that once stood as a symbol of civilization and art—and even today, traces of that grandeur can still be found in its alleyways, in the sound of traditional music, and in the eyes of its people.
But today, life in Iran is far more complex than postcards or headlines suggest. It’s a place where people face real, daily challenges—economic inflation, restrictions, protests, and at times, fear of the future. And yet, there’s something within us that refuses to let hope fade.
We are a people who have learned to live with pain, but not to surrender. In recent years, we’ve lost many loved ones—in the streets, in hospitals, in the quiet of our homes. Each loss is a wound on our collective soul. But even through grief, kindness still flows through our gaze, and our hands still reach out to help one another.
I belong to a generation that remembers calmer days, and has tasted the tension of turbulent ones. We’ve learned how to smile in the midst of crisis. How to speak to the world even when the internet is cut off. How to keep our personal dreams alive in streets filled with slogans.
In Iran, life is a daily struggle—but not just for survival. It’s a fight for meaning, for beauty, for love. We still write poetry. We still fall in love. We still pray for a better tomorrow. And that’s something no economic chart or political report can ever fully capture.
From the outside, you might only see crisis. But from within, Iran is full of stories that deserve to be heard. Stories of mothers raising children with love despite limited means. Of young people who, against all odds, still read, still learn, still dream.
We are still here. Still writing. Still hoping.
And Then, There Are Dreams…
Even in the midst of hardship, we still dream. Simple dreams, yet profound. That one day we can speak freely, live freely, and build a future where fear has no place.
We dream of schools where our children are taught how to think—not just what to memorize. We dream of music and art flowing through the streets again, of bookstores filled with people, and of smiles that are truly genuine.
We dream that the world will not only know us, but understand us—not just through headlines, but through stories written from the heart.
And perhaps most of all, we dream that one day this article will not be a record of struggle, but a testament to the triumph of humanity over darkness. Because we are still here. Still breathing. Still weaving dreams.
And as long as there are dreams, there is hope.
