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Blockade Costs and War
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said the US economic and maritime blockade against Tehran could cost Washington several times more than Iran, with IRGC spokesperson Brig. Gen. Hossein Mohibi telling Iran’s Mehr News Agency, "If the US wants to inflict one dollar of economic damage on Iran, it may face several dollars in costs and losses itself."
“"If the US wants to inflict one dollar of economic damage on Iran, it may face several dollars in costs and losses itself,"”
Mohibi asserted Iran would not surrender to sanctions and pressure, and he said the US had believed it could force Iran to retreat by relying on its military power, naval fleet and aircraft carriers.
The Business Standard said Iran’s leadership is seeking to rally national unity as US pressure deepens economic woes, describing an "Economic D-Day" sanctions regime and a naval blockade aimed at restricting Iranian crude exports.
The Business Standard also said the US blocked Iranian tankers from leaving southern ports and that the US military recently bombed an oil tanker near Kharg Island and attacked shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and targets across southern Iran.
The New York Times reported that Iran is more confident after 6 months of war with the United States, saying new U.S. intelligence reports assessed Iran has a better understanding of its capabilities and the limits of U.S. power.
Tehran Debates and Officials
Iran International said the latest round of clashes shifted debate in Tehran from questioning whether the country is in a crisis to what it means to keep going—"settlement or continuing the confrontation"—as the US continues strikes and economic pressure and Tehran answers with attacks across the region.
Iran International reported that on Wednesday, September 2, the newspaper Javan, aligned with the Revolutionary Guard, wrote: "Iran now lives in one of the most pivotal moments in its confrontation with known adversaries."
The Business Standard quoted President Masoud Pezeshkian framing the pressure as an effort by Iran’s adversaries to destabilise the country from within, saying, "Through war, blockade and sanctions, the enemies seek to create division, fissures and unrest inside the country,".
The Business Standard said Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf described domestic unrest as a distinct security challenge alongside other areas of confrontation, adding, "The fourth battlefield is the street – the social field,".
The Business Standard reported that Police Chief Ahmad-Reza Radan ordered continuous monitoring of potential "pretexts" for protests, including petrol prices, unemployment and livelihoods.
Economic Strain and Energy Stakes
The Business Standard said Iran’s currency has fallen to an all-time low, trading at more than 2.25 million rials per US dollar following the escalation, while the country is also facing severe energy shortages and fuel smuggling.
“"People are now on the edge; if I impose another pressure, they may fall off,"”
It added that Pezeshkian acknowledged the difficulty of imposing further economic pressure on the population, saying, "People are now on the edge; if I impose another pressure, they may fall off," during a televised appearance about domestic petrol prices and inflation.
The Business Standard said the administration plans to halve monthly petrol quotas and double the price of one of the three petrol quota tiers, while also avoiding broader price increases because they could raise logistics costs and add to inflation.
Iran International reported that navigation through the Strait of Hormuz moved toward near-total stoppage and that the gas shortage crisis and economic pressures intensified questions about Iran’s ability to sustain confrontation indefinitely.
TRT World said Mohibi argued that economic pressure and a blockade did not necessarily guarantee victory and could impose high costs on the country enforcing them, pointing to disruptions to aluminium production and exports in the region.