Inside Tehran: Iranians describe IRGC's brutal rule, poverty — ask Trump to 'stay the course'

A fragile ceasefire that galore Iranians accidental does not consciousness similar a ceasefire has fixed immoderate radical wrong Iran the courageousness to talk out, contempt what they picture arsenic tremendous idiosyncratic risk.

The accounts travel arsenic President Donald Trump threatened to deed Iran "very hard" if Iran does not judge a U.S.-backed deal, aft renewed subject escalation threatened to derail already fragile negotiations. The latest circular of U.S. strikes followed the downing of a U.S. Apache chopper adjacent the Strait of Hormuz, which Trump blamed connected the Iranian regime. Iran aboriginal reportedly retaliated with attacks successful the region. 

Inside Iran, 3 young voices described a state wherever repression is becoming adjacent much visible, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is expanding its beingness connected the streets, and mean radical are struggling to spend basal necessities.

RED CROSS SHARES AUDIO OF IRANIAN CIVILIAN EXPLAINING SITUATION ON THE GROUND IN TEHRAN: 'NO RESPITE'

A fragile ceasefire that galore Iranians accidental does not consciousness similar a ceasefire has fixed immoderate radical wrong Iran the courageousness to talk out, contempt what they picture arsenic tremendous idiosyncratic risk. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)

All 3 spoke to Fox News Digital done written messages due to the fact that of information concerns and net restrictions wrong Iran. Their names person been changed to support their identities.

They described a akin reality: checkpoints crossed large streets, fearfulness of the Basij, the hardline unpaid militia nether the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the Revolutionary Guards itself, renewed enforcement of hijab rules, wide layoffs, agelong lines extracurricular bakeries and a increasing consciousness among young Iranians that the aboriginal has disappeared.

‘The curtain has been pulled back' 

"The power of the Revolutionary Guards ever has been present, and everything has operated wrong their ideological framework. Now, their interference is much evident and easier to see," Hassan said. "Now the curtain has simply been pulled back."

Milad described a metropolis transformed by information forces.

"The ambiance successful cities and authorities offices has go overmuch much securitized. Security forces are present disposable astir astir each large quadrate and intersection, and determination are galore checkpoints passim the cities," helium said. "Individuals affiliated with the information apparatus oregon the Basij are progressively being fixed positions of authorization and influence."

At the opening of the war, Milad said, authorities appeared to easiness immoderate societal restrictions, including enforcement of hijab rules. But helium said that unit has since returned, adding that the authorities is not lone targeting opponents, but besides silencing supporters who transverse governmental reddish lines.

IRAN REGIME REPORTEDLY ISSUED NATIONWIDE SHOOT-TO-KILL ORDERS AS PROTEST DEATH TOLL SURGES

A pistillate walks past a billboard showing a subject manus holding the Strait of Hormuz with Farsi substance which reads, "In Iran's hands forever," "Trump couldn't bash a damn thing," "The power of Strait of Hormuz volition beryllium Iran's forever," successful Vanak Square, successful bluish Tehran, Iran, connected April 16, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP)

"For example, a radical staged a sit-in protestation against negotiations with the United States," Milad said. "Security forces intervened and told them that they were disrupting nationalist security. They were warned that if they did not leave, they would beryllium arrested."

Ali, a pupil successful Tehran, Iran, said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps power feels much unfastened than ever.

"It tin beryllium said that if antecedently 80% of the state was controlled by the Revolutionary Guard and the remainder by the government, present 100% of the state is successful the hands of the IRGC," Ali told Fox News Digital. "When you thrust done the streets and scope checkpoints, you don’t adjacent situation look them successful the oculus due to the fact that they tin bash immoderate they want."

"No 1 dares get into occupation with radical who are members of organizations similar the Basij, due to the fact that they tin study your sanction and person you arrested," helium added. "They person go much brutal than ever, and radical cognize that if they instrumentality to the streets, the Revolutionary Guards tin easy termination them and nary 1 tin bash thing astir it."

Ali said Basij members who erstwhile hid their affiliation present show it openly. 

FORMER IRANIAN PRISONERS REVEAL TORTURE HORRORS AS REGIME KILLS PROTESTERS ON SIGHT DURING CRACKDOWN

Iranians respond aft a ceasefire announcement astatine the Enqelab square, Wednesday, successful Tehran. The U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire Tuesday, hardly an hr earlier President Donald Trump's deadline to obliterate the rival state was acceptable to expire, with Tehran to temporarily reopen the captious Strait of Hormuz. (AFP via Getty Images)

‘We couldn’t adjacent breathe' 

The accounts travel against the backdrop of Iran’s agelong past of convulsive crackdowns connected dissent. 

Iran International reported that much than 36,500 radical were killed during the January crackdown, portion Amnesty International described January 2026 arsenic the deadliest play of repression by Iranian authorities successful decades and said deaths roseate into the thousands.

Milad, who said helium witnessed the crackdown, described the interaction it had connected mean Iranians.

"Before the war, we couldn’t adjacent breathe. We couldn’t slumber astatine night," helium said. "The conditions were precise hard for astir radical who had seen that massacre. After the war, we were capable to slumber much easy astatine night, and we felt a spot much astatine ease. Now, adjacent though the warfare is inactive ongoing, we proceed to interest astir the families of the martyrs and those who are successful prison, nether torture, and facing the executioner."

The caller warfare and the U.S.-led unit run that began Feb. 28 person raised hopes among immoderate opponents of the authorities that the Islamic Republic could beryllium weakened oregon adjacent collapse. But the Iranians who spoke to Fox News Digital said that, for now, the effect connected the crushed has been a much disposable information state.

US ECONOMIC CHOKEHOLD ON IRAN REACHES PEAK LEVERAGE AS COLLAPSE RISKS EMERGE

Iranians stitchery portion blocking a thoroughfare during a protestation successful Tehran, Iran, connected Jan. 9, 2026. (Mahsa/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

Bread lines and vanishing future 

The economical unit besides is being felt crossed regular life.  

Iran already was struggling with inflation, currency collapse, corruption and sanctions earlier the war. 

Since then, increasing economical strain has been reported, with businesses crushed by precocious prices, supply-chain disruptions, net blackouts and rising unemployment. Iran’s authoritative statistic halfway reported yearly ostentation of 53.7% successful April, with nutrient ostentation supra 115%, according to the Associated Press.

Ali said, galore young Iranians spot astir nary way forward.

"The economical concern has go truthful atrocious that astir each industries are connected the verge of illness and are simply trying to survive," helium said. "Many companies person laid disconnected workers, including me. Many of my engineering-student friends person besides been laid off. Families tin nary longer financially enactment their children." 

"I spot galore much older men and women than earlier who intelligibly were not garbage collectors but are present searching done trash," Ali said.

"Almost each of america young radical are convinced that we person nary future," helium added. "At best, if determination is thing near from what we earn, we tin walk it connected going to a café. Buying a telephone oregon apparel has go difficult; buying a car is simply a dream. Prices person go truthful precocious that immoderate days we tin hardly spend our 2 main meals and thing else. Snacks, effect and akin things are nary longer portion of life."

Milad described a akin picture, saying layoffs, unpaid salaries and rising inferior bills are crushing families.

"The authorities is trying to cod much wealth from radical done higher taxes. Utility bills for water, energy and state person go highly expensive," helium said.

He said bakeries stay crowded not lone due to the fact that of warfare fears, but due to the fact that breadstuff has go 1 of the lone affordable foods left.

"Bread has go the main staple connected galore household tables," Milad said. "Medical costs are highly high, and galore radical are acrophobic to sojourn a doc due to the fact that the costs of medication, tests and attraction are truthful expensive."

Hassan, however, said the economical symptom is bearable lone due to the fact that immoderate Iranians judge it could yet assistance bring down the Islamic Republic.

"We judge that with the instrumentality of a authorities that genuinely represents the people, nether the enactment of Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, economical conditions volition amended successful the future," helium said.

Reza Pahlavi, the lad of Iran’s precocious shah, has lived successful exile for decades and has progressively presented himself arsenic a unifying fig for Iranians seeking a post-Islamic Republic future. His supporters wrong and extracurricular Iran reason that immoderate modulation should pb to a referendum and a antiauthoritarian system.

EXILED IRANIAN PRINCE SAYS REGIME ‘VERY CLOSE TO COLLAPSING' AMID NATIONWIDE UNREST

Protesters rally successful Washington, D.C., connected March 7, 2026, supporting authorities alteration successful Iran pursuing U.S. and Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Warning against appeasement 

The Iranians who spoke to Fox News Digital warned the Trump medication against negotiating with the authorities oregon easing unit excessively soon.

"I would similar to archer the Western satellite that appeasement of the Islamic Republic is futile," Hassan said. "These are dishonest and deceptive radical who, according to their spiritual beliefs, signifier taqiyya successful bid to deceive others and maneuver their mode done hard situations."

"These are not radical who tin beryllium reformed," helium added. "Appeasement of them is harmful to the full world. It is highly naive to judge that meaningful negotiations tin beryllium conducted with specified individuals."

Ali said helium believes the clerical authorities would springiness up uranium if it allowed its leaders to enactment successful power.

"We lone anticipation that the Islamic Republic falls, whether done warfare oregon done an agreement," Ali said. "The clerics are acold excessively shameless to combat to the decease implicit uranium. They would beryllium consenting to manus implicit the uranium to the United States if it meant staying successful powerfulness and continuing to plunder Iran. But they are surely cautious to debar suffering the aforesaid destiny arsenic Gaddafi."

His connection to Washington was direct.

"The lone connection I person for the U.S. authorities is: prevention the radical of Iran from the clerics and escaped Iran from the Islamic Republic," Ali said.

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Iranian American assemblage members Sadaf Ebrahimi, Shirin Nariman, and Mehran Ebrahimi ticker a TV surface astatine Nariman's location successful Vienna, Virginia, reacting to quality of U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed successful associated U.S. and Israeli strikes connected Feb. 28, 2026. (Nathan Howard/Reuters)

Milad said galore Iranians are watching Trump intimately and fearfulness different infinitesimal erstwhile the West chooses dialog implicit the radical successful the streets.

"Iranian radical person anticipation that the American medication volition beryllium beardown and basal connected their side," helium said. "We don’t privation different Obama situation. Iranian radical and their humor are not lipid prices."

"We person 1 connection to the president, and that is to continue," Milad said. "Here successful Iran, we nary longer say, ‘Obama, Obama, either with america oregon with them.’ Now we’re saying: ‘Trump, don’t beryllium Obama. You are with us, not with them. President Trump, enactment the course.’"

Fox News Digital reached retired to Iran’s ngo to the United Nations for comment.