Tehran, Iran – Across Iran’s capital, life has returned to a kind of normal.Markets, cafes and shops are opening their doors, and some highways are buzzing with traffic once again as a fragile ceasefire with the United States largely holds after weeks of devastating US-Israeli attacks.Yet customers are cautious.“Standing in a shop, most things are still available, but a lot of times now, it’s a question of whether you want something or need it,” said a young resident of western Tehran who asked not to be named.“Many people are resorting to buying just the basics now.”As worries about the future rise and purchasing habits change, the government is moving to ensure the availability of food and medicines in an effort to ease the mounting pressure the war is placing on the Iranian people.On Sunday, the cabinet added a clause to implementation guidelines for the annual budget to restart a preferential exchange rate for imports of essentials like wheat, medicines, medical equipment and baby formula.This means the government plans to give up to $3.5bn from its share of oil and gas proceeds to a network of trustees to import essential goods. These imports will be bought at an official exchange rate of 285,000 rials per US dollar – much lower than the open-market rate of 1.55 million rials per dollar, and also below the budget rate of 1.23 million rials, according to state media.The move signals a partial policy reversal for the government from the budget it proposed in late December, when demonstrations by shopkeepers in Tehran that developed int …
