Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the Islamic Regime is facing the most severe crisis since the 1979 revolution as the war with the U.S. continues with no signs of abating.
“Never in the 48 years since the Islamic Revolution have we been under such pressure and faced such difficulties,” Pezeshkian said when talking in a forum in Azerbaijan, of which he took part virtually.
The president went on to say that Attacks against the country infrastructure hit energy facilities and factories, calling for greater coordination to address issues taking place in the country’s different provinces.
The Iranian economy continues teetering on the brink, with Washington increasing economic pressure through sanctions and a blockade of its ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Department of the Treasury last week imposed more sanctions, saying it was “targeting the remnants of Iran’s shadow fleet: the aging network of tankers the regime relies on to move billions of dollars’ worth of petroleum and petroleum products to foreign markets.”
“Treasury is starving the tyrannical regime in Tehran of the money it uses to wage war in the region, and we will continue exposing those who enable the regime’s oil sales,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement along with the announcement.
“The vessels involved, registered across more than a dozen jurisdictions and operated by an intricate web of international front companies, underscore the global scale of Iran’s illicit shipping architecture and the sophistication with which the regime attempts to mask its sanctions evasion,” the document added.
The Trump administration has made several announcements of the kind over the past weeks as part of “Operation Economic Outcast,” which seeks to isolate Iran economically. Earlier this month it targeted the country’s automotive and rail industries while targeting foreign companies accused of helping Tehran sustain its industrial base and evade U.S. restrictions.
Among the most significant targets are Iran Khodro Company and SAIPA Iranian Automobile Manufacturing Company, which Treasury said together account for “over 90 percent of Iran’s domestic auto market.” Their subsidiaries, including Iran Khodro Diesel, Pars Khodro and Zamyad, were also designated.
Pezeshkian has also called on Iranians to cut energy consumption. “If we can control consumption somewhat, we will not need anything, he said in a meeting of senior police commanders last week.
“With just a 10% reduction in consumption, a significant amount will be saved and we will no longer need to import energy,” he added. The president described the ongoing economic pressure as “far harder and heavier” than military conflict.