The article highlights the growing impact of U.S. economic pressure on Iran’s regime, noting that even Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who has been out of public view since a U.S.-Israeli strike, is expressing concern. In a recent written statement, Khamenei banned officials from actions that could harm “social cohesion” and urged them to avoid statements that might weaken national motivation. He explicitly called for addressing economic challenges such as inflation, unemployment, and price management, acknowledging the severity of the situation [1].

Simultaneously, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian publicly acknowledged the country’s economic difficulties, estimating a 25% to 35% drop in trade and expressing frustration with those denying the sanctions’ impact. The U.S. is intensifying its efforts, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announcing an “economic D-Day” aimed at closing loopholes that allow Iran to evade sanctions, further undermining the regime’s ability to generate revenue from oil exports and secure essential imports. Senior Iranian sources cited by Reuters indicated that the U.S. blockade and sanctions enforcement are becoming increasingly unsustainable for Iran, with the country reportedly having only two months’ worth of gasoline reserves [2].

[1] The article states: “In a written statement ​issued late last month, he [Khamenei] banned Iranian officials from ‘committing anything that harms social cohesion’ and urged them to avoid any ‘discouraging statements that weaken national and public ​motivation,’ according to Reuters. In his statement, Khamenei expressed concern about the economy and called on the government to take action. ‘There is the need to seriously address the chain of economic and livelihood challenges, such as inflation, unemployment, management of prices and the market for goods and services,’ he said.”

[2] The article states: “Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian similarly acknowledged his country’s economic woes … he estimated that Iranian trade has plunged 25% to 35%, with imports down significantly more than exports, and voiced frustration with attempts to deny the economic impact. … Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced an ‘economic D-Day’ to shut down avenues that help Iran dodge sanctions, further degrading the regime’s ability to earn money from oil exports and to obtain vital imports. Senior Iranian sources told Reuters that the U.S. blockade and its crackdown on sanctions evasion are growing increasingly difficult to withstand. … One senior source added that Iran only has two months’ worth of gasoline supplies, which must be imported due to limited domestic refining capacity.”

Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/even-supreme-leader-mojtaba-khamenei-1737343296.html

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