Iran's Economy Reels as Military Campaign Enters Sixth Month

The US and Israel's military campaign against Iran has entered its sixth month, causing economic pressure to intensify within the country's leadership.

After a brief pause in strikes in early August, Washington increased its economic pressure on Tehran with Operation Economic Outcast, aimed at severing Iran's financial ties with the outside world.

The campaign includes secondary sanctions against participants in the transportation of Iranian oil, measures against the so-called shadow fleet, and financial networks. As a result, Iran's oil exports have plummeted from 1.8 million barrels per day to less than 500,000 barrels per day.

Inflation is nearing 90%, while food prices are more than twice as high as they were a year ago. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian suggested ending the war immediately, but Parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf insisted that diplomacy carries weight only if there is readiness for war.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz since February 28 remains a key lever in potential negotiations on ending the conflict.