Iranians Hoard Food and Medicine as US Blockade Fuels Fears of Wider War

Iranians across Tehran are rushing to stockpile essential goods, with shelves in the capital remaining full but shoppers increasingly anxious that a tightening American embargo could soon choke off supplies of food and medicine. The mood reflects a growing sense of precariousness as the war between Iran and the United States enters its eighth month, with diplomatic prospects dimming and harsh economic measures taking hold.

The Iranian government succeeded in keeping basic household staples flowing during the earliest phase of the conflict. That relative stability has begun to erode, however, following a US naval blockade and a shift toward sweeping sanctions that officials and ordinary citizens alike fear will sharply curtail imports. The combination of military pressure at sea and financial restrictions on land has created what many describe as a slow-moving siege.

At one shopping centre in Tehran, Ali, a 51-year-old man, was seen loading a trolley with rice, flour, pasta, pulses, cooking oil and canned goods. He said he was convinced that Iran's adversary intended to starve the population in order to provoke public anger against the government. "This is not a war in the traditional sense. It targets the people to put pressure on the authorities," he said, describing the campaign as a deliberate effort to turn civilians against their leaders.

The anxiety has been sharpened by a wave of social media posts urging Iranians to secure several days' worth of food ahead of a possible new round of fighting. The messaging has resonated in a country where memories of past shortages remain vivid, and where the national currency, the rial, has been weakening steadily, driving up prices almost daily.

Haj Pasandideh, a 71-year-old grocer, said warehouses still appeared well-stocked with basic goods for the time being. His greater concern, he explained, was the relentless rise in prices caused by the depreciating rial, which has prompted him to buy in bulk before expected increases. To stretch limited supplies and ensure fairness, he sometimes limits customers to a single bottle of cooking oil per purchase.

The shortages are not confined to fresh produce or staples. With flights to some nearby countries suspended, imports of certain medicines and even mobile phone headsets have become difficult to find. Items that remain on shelves carry higher price tags, adding to the financial strain on households already contending with inflation and reduced purchasing power.

Farmers have been hit particularly hard by the embargo. Unable to export their produce, they have been forced to sell into local markets, often at depressed prices. The war has aggravated an economic decline that began long before the current conflict, after years of sanctions transformed Iran from a regional exporter of agricultural and food products into one of the region's main importers.

Mehran, an apple grower, told Al Jazeera that export difficulties meant he had sold only a third of this year's harvest, all of it within Iran. Some neighbouring countries have halted trade with Iran in recent months, he said, while trucks now spend days at border crossings that once cleared in a single day. The delays cause fruit to spoil before reaching buyers, compounding the losses for producers who have few alternative outlets.

"The blockade has not only closed the sea and air but also the land routes but in an undeclared manner," Mehran said, suggesting that even formal trade channels are being quietly strangled by administrative and logistical obstacles rather than open prohibition.

The war has also deepened an already severe shortage of medications. At some pharmacies visited by Al Jazeera in southern Tehran, infant formula and dozens of other types of medicine had run out. Officials have publicly assured Iranians that substitute products are available, but pharmacy staff expressed alarm at the growing number of customers searching in vain for baby formula and other imported treatments.

Mahsa, a 23-year-old pharmacy assistant, said imported medicines were disappearing quickly. Lately, she added, customers have been coming in to buy certain items before they actually need them, driven by fear that supplies will run out in the future. Health authorities have introduced "smart systems" to track the quantity and type of medication each person purchases, an indication of how closely the state is now monitoring distribution.

The prospect of a prolonged siege, combined with deteriorating economic conditions, has pushed some Iranians to advocate a military response. On Tehran's main thoroughfare, several people told Al Jazeera that another round of fighting with the United States was unavoidable. Some urged the government to break the blockade by force before it tightens further.

Mohsen, a 23-year-old economics student, argued that Washington's goal is to strangle the Iranian economy, and that the ultimate cost would be borne by ordinary citizens. He said Iran possesses many strong cards that it must use to break the air and sea blockade before it develops into a land blockade that would completely choke Tehran.

Alireza Taghavinia, an Iranian international relations expert, told Al Jazeera that the gap between Washington and Tehran is too wide to be bridged. "The siege imposed by force will only" worsen conditions, he warned, reflecting a broader pessimism that diplomacy has been overtaken by coercive measures.

The hardening US posture has been evident in a series of recent moves. Washington announced a ban on Iranian airlines worldwide and is pressing other countries to cut trade ties with Iran in a bid to isolate the country. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly last week, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned Washington for its blockade, saying it would prevent food and medicine from reaching the Iranian people.

On Saturday, US President Donald Trump rejected Iran's offer of a seven-day truce that would have seen Tehran reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for economic relief and other conditions. The rejection, reported as hopes for a diplomatic solution dim, has reinforced the sense among many Iranians that the pressure campaign will only intensify in the weeks ahead, leaving them to prepare for the worst.