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. “Cafes offer a chance to unwind, to escape the stress of exorbitant prices, war and anxiety-inducing news,” said Mitra Alipour, celebrating her birthday at a coffee shop in Tehran. Since the start of the Middle East conflict, triggered in late February by US-Israeli airstrikes, “everything has become more expensive,” the 28-year-
