Locked for Mideast war and dey suffer from sanctions, Iran dey careful about US presidential election

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) America presidential election wey go happen next week dey come just afta Iran mark 45 years of di 1979 U.S Embassy hostage crisis and for plenty pipo, di tension between Tehran and Washington dey feel as high as e be din.

Iran still dey locked for di Mideast wars wey dey shake di region, wit im allies wey be militant groups and fighters.

Im self-described “Axis of Resistance” dey suffer as Israel dey push im war for Gaza Strip wey dey target Hamas and im invasion of Lebanon wey dey cause serious attack against Hezbollah.

At di same time, Iran still dey try check di damage wey Israel cause on di Islamic Republic last Saturday as response to two Iranian ballistic missile attacks.

Iran currency, di rial, dey near record low against di dollar, dey suffer from international sanctions wey dey follow Tehran nuclear program wey dey enrich uranium closer than ever to weapons grade levels.

For public place, women still dey openly defy Iran law wey say dem suppose wear headscarf, or hijab, bicos of di big protest wey happen afta Mahsa Amini die for 2022, wey still dey disturb di country.

Dis one don make some pipo for street of di capital, Tehran, dey feel say na fatalism be di mata, as Americans dey cast di vote for either Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump.

Many pipo no sure which candidate go beta for di country if e go even beta at all.

“All U.S presidents wey dem elect afta di (1979) revolution get di same view about Iran and I think say dat one no go change,” Sadegh Rabbani, 65 years old talk.

Harris and Trump don show strong views about Iran, wey make Iranians dey wary.

Both candidates don either take or talk tough stance on Iran.

For 2018, Trump just pull America out of Tehran nuclear deal wit world powers, wey start years of attack for Middle East even before Hamas attack on Israel for Oct. 7, 2023.

Trump don receive brief about Iranian plan to retaliate against am, as well as di decision wey him make to launch drone strike for 2020 wey kill Iran top general Qassem Soleimani for Baghdad.

Harris, as e dey so, promise for September presidential debate say she go always “give Israel di ability to defend itself, especially as e concern Iran and any threat wey Iran and im forces dey pose to Israel.”

For di Biden administration side, dem try indirect negotiation wit Iran over im nuclear program wey no bring any tangible result.

But dem manage reach one prisoner swap deal wey five Americans wey dem don detain for years for Iran come free for September 2023.

For one outdoor coffee shop for di road of Tehran, wey di youth sabi well, 22-year-old Zahra Rezaei talk say she prefer make Harris win.

“We don see Trump for di past and e just run anti-Iran policy,” Rezaei tell di Associated Press. E don reach time for woman I think she (Harris) go do beta since she no dey afta war.”

Ebrahim Shiri, wey be 28-year-old postgraduate political sciences student, agree.

“I think Harris sabi di world beta, e talk. “She and (Joe) Biden convince Israel make dem no attack Iran’s nuclear facilities. Dis mean say we dey move toward peace.”

Odas believe say Trump, wit im promises of dealmaking, fit be beta option.

“I no sabi wetin American pipo dey think, but Trump fit make quick deal wit Iran,“

Na wetin Mohammad Ali Raoufi, 43, wey dey run double-glazed window workshop talk.

“Biden administration including Harris no fit reach any (deal) wit Iran for di past years when dem dey power.”

Reza Ghaemi, 31-year-old taxi driver, also suggest say Trump fit reduce tension for di region since e push make U.S. troops comot from di Mideast during im term for office.

Iran government wan make sanctions comot and dey hope for anoda nuclear deal.

Plenty pipo no wan talk to di AP for camera, Iran get only state-run television and radio stations, so pipo dey suspicious of reporters wey get video cameras wey dey work openly for di street.

One woman wey dey waka pass immediately tighten her headscarf wey dey loose before afta she see di camera.

Dem wey talk to di AP mostly dey worry say direct war go happen between United States and Iran especially if Trump win.

While e talk say e want make Trump win “for im own reasons,” 53-year-old Ahmad Moradi claim say dat go make U.S.-Iran war 100 percent” sure to happen.

One woman wey only give im name as Mahnaz, wey dey fear wahala for talk open, suggest say Harris, as woman, no fit reach any deal wit Iran bicos “men fit talk to men.”

“I think if Trump win, e go hard for our pikin dem.”

“Of course e no mata who dem elect, e don dey tough for us already,” Fariba Oodi talk.

“We wey be Iranian pipo dey trapped for some political game.”

“And our pikin dey pay price for dat,” she add.

“But I still dey think if na Trump, e go hard pass, especially for my son wey be student and wan apply” to study for America.

Iran reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, wey dem elect afta helicopter crash kill hard line President Ebrahim Raisi for May, come to power wit promise to reach deal to ease Western sanctions.

Iranian officials dey maintain say e fit separate nuclear negotiations from Mideast wars, even as U.S don accuse Iran say dem dey meddle for November election, wey Tehran deny.

Fatemeh Mohajerani, wey be spokeswoman for Pezeshkian administration, talk say Tehran wan see change for U.S. policies and make dem respect di “national sovereignty of odir countries.”

E still wan make Washington avoid tension-making activities as wey we don see for recent years,” she talk.

Analysts dem, however, dey see say e go hard for any possible U.S.-Iran talks, no mata who go win next Tuesday.

“Di talks go be war of attrition,” Ali Soufi tell di pro-reform Shargh newspaper.

Saeed Nour mohammadi, annther analyst, suggest say such talks “no go fit bring better result.”

But at di end, any decision dey wit Irans 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“You sabi, Khamenei don see eight U.S. presidents come and go,” Abbas Ghasemi, wey be 67-year-old retired teacher talk. “He sabi how to handle di next one.”

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