TEHRAN — A truce between the United States and Iran has paused air attacks, allowing labourers in Tehran to begin patching cracked facades and repairing shattered windows on partially damaged structures. Completely levelled residential blocks and official buildings remain untouched as owners await international guarantees.

Pakistani-mediated talks have sent Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Islamabad, Muscat, and Moscow in recent days. Iranian authorities have told displaced residents they must either rebuild their properties themselves or wait for public tenders once definitive peace is reached.

The cost of building a single housing unit in Tehran has multiplied in recent months. A U.S.-imposed maritime blockade has further devalued Iran's national currency, which had already plummeted before the current conflict due to decades of U.S. sanctions. Damage to domestic steel companies has driven up material costs.

Sajjad's father's home in eastern Tehran was destroyed by bombardment and remains untouched. "Who will rebuild all this?" Sajjad asked. "If the war returns tomorrow, everything we build will be a new target," he said.

Maryam, a 52-year-old resident, had her home near the supreme leader's office destroyed in the first wave of strikes. She was initially placed in a government-funded hotel but later received an eviction notice. Officials promised displaced residents a rental loan. "I don't know how we will live in a small apartment that does not resemble our memories and does not suit our needs," Maryam said.

In the Navvab Safavi neighbourhood of western Tehran, streets are crowded and markets are relatively busy as residents rush to make up for days lost to the war. Residents report severe price fluctuations for essentials like meat and medicine, with daily fluctuations for electronics and construction materials as well. Government price controls and a longstanding policy of self-sufficiency have prevented mass food shortages, according to Ashkbous, a 43-year-old administrative employee at the Ministry of Health.

The U.S. maritime blockade on southern ports is squeezing Iran's supply chains. Tehran is attempting to bypass the blockade using overland routes through neighbouring countries and a "shadow fleet" in Gulf waters. Rerouted shipments have disrupted delivery schedules and increased costs, forcing customers to settle for cheaper, lower-quality local alternatives. Many businesses have chosen to freeze their operations entirely.