The American Times News | Economy, Geopolitics, Calculators

Iran's economic crisis is becoming increasingly difficult to separate from the diplomatic struggle over the Strait of Hormuz. President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Iranian foreign trade has fallen by roughly 35% under the combined pressure of U.S. sanctions and the maritime disruption surrounding the war, while Reuters reported annual inflation of about 66%. At the same time, Tehran, Oman and other regional mediators are working on mechanisms that could restore some commercial navigation through Hormuz, even though there is still no comprehensive agreement with Washington. ( Reuters) The significance of the latest developments is that economic and maritime pressure are reinforcing one another. Sanctions make international payments, insurance and trade more difficult; reduced shipping through Hormuz constrains the movement of energy and other goods; and the war itself has damaged the confidence businesses need to plan imports, exports and investment. For Iran, the immediate challeng...

  The confrontation between Washington and Tehran is entering a more economically intense phase as the Trump administration prepares a new package of sanctions against Iran and warns countries that continue providing Tehran with an economic lifeline. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on August 20 that Washington would impose what he called the “toughest sanctions in history,” with further details expected at a Treasury press conference on Monday, August 24. President Donald Trump has also threatened economic consequences for countries that continue supporting Iran. Reuters — U.S. sanctions strategy against Iran Iran has rejected the campaign and warned that additional pressure could provoke a severe response. At the same time, the sanctions threat is arriving while oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz remain heavily disrupted, Iranian crude exports are under pressure and financial markets are already reacting to elevated geopolitical and inflation risks. The result is a ...