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TEHRAN: Iranians are flocking to stylish cafes in the capital, as they look for respite from soaring inflation and the spectre of renewed war with the United States.<\/p>\n
\u201cCafes offer a chance to unwind, to escape the stress of exorbitant prices, war and anxiety-inducing news,\u201d said Mitra Alipour, celebrating her birthday at a coffee shop in Tehran.<\/p>\n
Since the start of the Middle East conflict, triggered in late February by US-Israeli airstrikes, \u201ceverything has become more expensive,\u201d the 28-year-old told AFP.<\/p>\n
She regrets that she can no longer travel or afford a new phone, but she can at least get a coffee.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do I know if I\u2019ll still be able to afford it next year? So I tell myself I\u2019ll make the most of it and treat myself, while I still can,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
In downtown Tehran, cafes are constantly packed \u2014 a striking sight for a country grappling with Western sanctions and an economic slump exacerbated by the war.<\/p>\n
Washington has imposed sanctions on Tehran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled the US-backed shah, and more recently has applied further economic pressure.<\/p>\n
Yet upscale cafes near shopping malls stocked with Western products remain a common sight along Fereshteh Street, in the city\u2019s north.<\/p>\n
As night falls, groups of young people and couples head to cafes to unwind and socialize, just meters from Valiasr Avenue, known as the Champs-Elysees of Tehran.<\/p>\n
Headscarves are less conspicuous among women in these fashionable neighborhoods, despite compulsory hijab rules introduced after the revolution established clerical rule.<\/p>\n
\u2018NO OTHER ENTERTAINMENT\u2019 <\/p>\n
Cafes \u201chave become a gathering spot,\u201d said Alireza Ashouri, a 22-year-old medical student in Tehran.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no other entertainment,\u201d he added from an establishment that he visits \u201ctwo or three times a week, often in the evening, and sometimes to study.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fatemeh Hosseinzadeh, a 38-year-old English teacher still living with her parents, goes to cafes to escape.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a safe place where no one bothers me. I settle in there for two hours and disconnect from work, from home and from all my worries,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
According to officials, the Iranian capital is home to some 3,000 cafes, a recent phenomenon that has become widespread over the last decade.<\/p>\n
Amir-Hossein Manafi, 24, a student, said he visits cafes \u201cthree to four times a week, usually after class.\u201d<\/p>\n
As he enjoyed his iced mocktail, thumping electronic music played while a group of women laughed at a nearby table at Lova cafe in affluent northern Tehran.<\/p>\n
\u201cDrinking coffee has now become an integral part of our culture,\u201d said Parsa Nobaghi, who opened Lova two years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday, Tehran is teeming with cafes. You can find one or two on every street corner.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2019FULL EVERY SINGLE DAY\u2019<\/p>\n
The economic crisis and soaring prices have not stopped new cafes from popping up in major cities.<\/p>\n
Their decor ranges from refined to retro, while chains like Raees and Lamiz draw some inspiration from Western brands such as Starbucks.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt a cafe, you talk about all sorts of things. You discuss changes in people\u2019s lives and lifestyles, as well as societal problems,\u201d Manafi told AFP.<\/p>\n
The cafe craze remains strong, even as many Iranians fear that hostilities with the US and Israel could resume.<\/p>\n
One waiter, who preferred to remain anonymous, was surprised to see the cafe \u201cfull every single day,\u201d even during the worst of the attacks on the capital.<\/p>\n
Yet not everyone can afford a visit, as high inflation \u2014 89 percent in September \u2014 and the depreciation of the rial have turned a cup of coffee into a luxury for many Iranians.<\/p>\n
The average price of an espresso has more than tripled over the past two years, reaching around 2.5 million rials, around one dollar at the current exchange rate.<\/p>\n
That is a considerable sum in a country where the minimum wage stands at around $65.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n