When will it ever end?
For ordinary Iranians, daily life goes from bad to worse

THE last time fruit and chicken were luxuries in Iran was back in the 1980s, when the country was fighting against Iraq. On the whole, Iranians believed that their young Islamic Republic needed protecting from Saddam Hussein and his Western backers. Non-combatants in the big cities generally accepted shortages and other privations with patriotic stoicism.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “When will it ever end?”

From the August 18th 2012 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the edition
As Gaza starves, Israel fights on
Its generals think the war against Hamas has become pointless, but a ceasefire remains elusive

Ugandan intervention in Congo risks stoking ethnic violence
It may also cement Rwanda’s hold over its neighbour

Somalia’s state-building project is in tatters
The West has all but given up on it
A bloody week in Syria may have ripple effects in Lebanon
The presidents of both countries have limited time to rein in vicious militias
The dark side of Ethiopia’s liberalisation
The fruits of promising reforms are under threat from waste, graft and conflict
As the Houthis sink two ships in one week, the world shrugs
The lack of response illustrates how difficult it is to stop them by force