Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, stated Tehran's readiness to resolve issues with the US based on international frameworks, as reported by Iran's official news agency IRNA.

This overture comes just a day after US President Donald Trump's ceasefire announcement.

For many in the Iranian capital, the ceasefire means clean-up operations can begin and the city can resume its usual rhythm.

Those who had fled the strikes expressed profound gladness at being able to return home after often tiring and expensive stays in rented accommodation or with relatives outside the city.

"I am overjoyed. It is over and we finally can live in peace. It was an unnecessary war and we people paid the price for the authorities' war-mongering policies," said Shima, 40, from Shiraz, who withheld her name for fear of reprisals.

Just 24 hours prior, plumes of smoke still hung over parts of Tehran as Israeli forces targeted the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), its paramilitary Basij militia, and Evin prison at the foot of the Alborz Mountains.

A man on a busy Tehran street, who also requested anonymity, echoed the sentiment of shared suffering: "It's the people who are paying the price - whether our people or theirs. Both sides are bearing the cost so it's better that this happened sooner rather than later."

Israeli warnings for residents to leave large swathes of the city before airstrikes had previously clogged highways out of Tehran with vast traffic jams.

Exhausted and running low on funds, many had already begun to return home even before the ceasefire was declared.

Arash, a 39-year-old government employee, had taken his family to Damavand, a mountain resort, but they returned two days ago. "My wife and two children were terrified of the bombings but renting even a modest room in Damavand for any length of time is beyond my limited budget," he explained.

Noushin, 35, who drove nearly five hours with her family to stay with her mother-in-law, ultimately decided to return home due to crowded conditions. "My child misses her room. I miss my house. How long can we live like this? Even if there’s another attack, I’d rather die in my own home," she said.

Despite the intensity of the Israeli air campaign, which began on June 13 and included strikes on nuclear sites and the killing of military commanders, there have been no signs of significant street protests against the Islamic Republic.

Iranians contacted by Reuters, including some who have opposed the government in the past, indicated that the airstrikes had fostered a sense of national unity in the face of what they perceived as foreign aggression.

However, anger at the nation's leadership persists for many, and the harsh reality of a sanctions-hit economy awaits those returning home. "This is unacceptable. This is brutal. Why are we being attacked while the officials hide in safe places?” said Mohammad, 63, from Rasht. "I place the blame on this country’s decision-makers. Their policies have brought war and destruction upon us," he added by phone.

While Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted leaders and facilities of the internal security forces under the IRGC, state media has announced hundreds of arrests of individuals accused of spying.

Black security vehicles were visible on Tehran streets today, and dissidents voiced fears of an impending crackdown by authorities to pre-empt any mass protests.

Fears that the conflict could reignite were also fueled by accusations of ceasefire violations today. "I hope they (the Israelis) remain committed to the ceasefire. History has shown that they’ve never truly honoured it, but I still hope this time they do because it’s in our interest and theirs as well," commented one man on a Tehran street.

Indeed, Israeli military chief of staff Eyal Zamir stated that while the military was at "the conclusion of a significant chapter, the campaign against Iran is not over."

Zamir added that the military's focus was now on returning to Gaza to retrieve Israeli hostages and "dismantle Hamas's rule," according to a military statement.

Meanwhile, Iraqi airspace has reopened, and flights are now transiting it, as confirmed by flight-tracking website Flightradar24 on X today. Iranian airspace is also now open to international arrivals and departures to and from Tehran with prior permission.