Iran's Vice President Blames U.S. Blockade for Deepening Economic Strain
Iran's vice president said the economy was strained as U. S. sanctions and a naval blockade deepened, pointing to soaring inflation, rising unemployment, a roughly one-third drop in foreign trade and longer queues at fuel stations. The United States announced new secondary sanctions on entities dealing with Iran's digital assets, gold, technology, aviation and shipping.
Earlier reports documented the rial sliding to a record low of about 2 million per dollar, which pushed food and medicine prices sharply higher. Longer lines at Tehran gas stations reflected growing fuel shortages, while a former central-bank adviser warned that the UAE's trade halt could push contraction toward 5 percent. Iranian officials remained divided over the war’s economic toll, and President Donald Trump told Al Jazeera he had no timetable for Iran to re-enter negotiations.
