Several Iranians shared their harsh realities amid ongoing protests and an economic crisis. Mahsa, a 36-year-old fashion designer, says her business stopped after an influencer canceled a major promotion due to unrest. She is stuck with expensive winter fabrics and lost sales. “I feel like I have to start all over again,” she said. Mahsa dreams of freedom but feels hopeless about change. Moien, 40, who owns a clothing store, faces heavy losses as his unsold winter stock ages. He doubts any quick fix, saying overhauling Iran could take decades. He sees exiled figure Reza Pahlavi as a powerless puppet controlled by foreign powers. Moien wants to emigrate but hopes to keep his business alive locally. Sasha, 35, a sports coach, says his generation is "written off" and unlikely to see real freedom soon. He believes the military’s control blocks protest success and keeps him from speaking out publicly. Majid, 36, unemployed, says inflation and protests crushed his stone business. He and many friends have stopped working, lost hope, and turned to smoking. Economic stress led to his divorce. Hasan, 29, a gold trader, supports strikes and hopes protests will bring slow reforms rather than sudden collapse. He warns chaos would follow if the regime fell overnight. Ashkan, 28, financially supported by his restaurateur father, is optimistic the Islamic Republic will fall soon and Pahlavi will return. His father shares this hope and reports booming food sales despite strikes. Farshad, 37, an indebted interior designer, wants US intervention and eventual reforms. He doubts Pahlavi but sees any change as better than the current deadlock. He hopes students join protests to push for true progress. All describe living with uncertainty, economic pain, and the desire for freedom. But many fear that despite protests, real change is distant. Their stories show a struggling Iran caught between hope and harsh realities.