Archive · 29 Aug 2026
Pezeshkian Acknowledges US Sanctions Are Pressuring Iran’s Economy
Iran’s president said American sanctions are hurting the country’s economy.
He disagreed with people who say the sanctions have no effect.
He said Iran is facing wartime conditions.
According to him, Iran’s imports and exports have fallen by 25% to 35% recently.
He blamed growing pressure and a US naval blockade for making trade harder.
Iran is also worried about having enough petrol.
Pezeshkian suggested increasing the price of fuel for some consumers.
Earlier, he had said new US measures would not achieve their intended goal.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said US sanctions are significantly affecting Iran’s economy.
Pezeshkian said Iran’s imports and exports have declined by 25% to 35% in recent months.
He attributed the trade decline to growing pressure and what he called a US naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Pezeshkian proposed raising the price of petrol in Iran’s highest consumption quota.
The United States has intensified sanctions imposed after Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear agreement in 2018.
- Who
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and the governments of Iran and the United States.
- What
- Pezeshkian acknowledged that US sanctions are putting pressure on Iran’s economy and proposed a higher petrol price for one consumption tier.
- When
- Pezeshkian made the comments in an interview late Friday, days after Scott Bessent announced plans to intensify pressure on Tehran.
- Where
- Iran, in an interview broadcast on Iranian state television; the measures also involve Iranian ports and international trade.
- Why
- The comments addressed the effects of US sanctions and related pressure on Iran’s trade, fuel supplies, and domestic petrol prices.
Iranian acknowledgment and policy response
US pressure campaign and stated objective
Impact of sanctions
Iranian acknowledgment and policy response
Pezeshkian said sanctions are having a significant effect, citing a 25% to 35% decline in Iran’s imports and exports.
US pressure campaign and stated objective
The US is intensifying economic pressure on Tehran and says countries that do not cooperate could face serious consequences.
Effectiveness of new measures
Iranian acknowledgment and policy response
Pezeshkian previously said the latest US measures would not achieve their intended goal, despite later acknowledging broader economic pressure.
US pressure campaign and stated objective
Bessent presented the campaign as a strategy of “economic asphyxiation” intended to increase pressure on Tehran.
Fuel pricing
Iranian acknowledgment and policy response
Pezeshkian proposed increasing the price of petrol in Iran’s highest consumption quota to respond to trade and supply pressures.
US pressure campaign and stated objective
The article reports domestic sensitivity around higher fuel prices because Iran has traditionally provided heavily subsidized petrol.
- Trade decline
- Pezeshkian said Iran’s imports and exports have fallen by 25% to 35% in recent months.
- Sanctions timeline
- The current US sanctions framework expanded after Donald Trump withdrew from the international nuclear agreement in 2018.
- US strategy
- Scott Bessent described the latest pressure campaign as “economic asphyxiation.”
- Fuel proposal
- Pezeshkian proposed raising the third-tier petrol price from 5,000 tomans to 10,000 tomans.
- Fuel concerns
- Iranian Vice President Mohammad Jafar Ghaempanah said the blockade had made it difficult to import enough petrol to cover a domestic production shortfall.
- Iran’s earlier position
- Days before the interview, Pezeshkian said the latest US measures would not achieve their intended goal.