Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian admits his country’s citizens face ‘many problems’, after the United States launched a new wave of sanctions seeking to further isolate its economy.
“I understand we have many problems in society right now. We are trying to prevent these as much as we can,” Pezeshkian said in a speech broadcast on state television yesterday.
His comments came after the US vowed last week to bring about the ‘collapse’ of the Iranian regime through a newly announced sanctions campaign, nearly six months after the start of their war.
In his response, Pezeshkian said that, because of US President Donald Trump, Iran was ‘in a full-scale economic, military and security war’.
The Iranian government has faced several waves of mass protest in recent years.
They have often been triggered by economic hardships, including inflation and exchange rate swings, leading to declining purchasing power.
At the end of last year, a protest movement initially sparked by the rising cost of living turned into mass demonstrations denouncing those in power.
Authorities reported more than 3,000 deaths during the unrest, accusing the US and Israel of orchestrating the violence.
Foreign-based NGOs, however, said officials had launched an indiscriminate crackdown that left thousands dead.
Since the war began on February 28, 3,636 people have reportedly died in Iran, with 2,100 estimated to be civilian deaths.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will host a media conference today to outline the exact details of the economic measures to be imposed on Iran.
US President Donald Trump has warned of economic consequences against any country that provides “any type of lifeline to Iran” and Bessent has urged cooperation with Washington by China, which buys more than 80 per cent of Iran’s shipped oil, according to 2025 data from analytics firm Kpler. China has urged diplomacy.
Iran said Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, would visit Tehran on Monday as part of efforts to restore peace and security in the region, but gave few details.
Pakistan has been mediating in the conflict and a Pakistani government source said Munir would touch on recent developments including the US threat of new sanctions.
Trump said on Friday that Washington was observing “what happens” in the conflict.
“They would love to make a deal, but they’re not ready to make the right deal, in my opinion,” Trump said of Iran.
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