05.05.2026 Interview with Al Jazeera on Iran’s economic crisis amid war and geopolitical tensions

Professor Mohammad Reza Farzanegan was interviewed by Al Jazeera on the severe economic pressures facing Iran amid war and escalating geopolitical tensions. The interview, titled “Inflation, Layoffs, Rial Collapse, and the Strait of Hormuz,” is available on YouTube.

In the interview, Farzanegan discusses the sharp rise in inflation, the collapse of the rial, mass layoffs, and the growing pressure on Iranian households as food prices continue to increase. He argues that Iran’s economy was already weakened by years of sanctions, high inflation, currency depreciation, and declining purchasing power. The current crisis adds another layer of pressure, with serious consequences for employment, household welfare, and the country’s capacity to absorb further shocks.

Farzanegan also comments on the economic risks associated with disruption around the Strait of Hormuz. Such disruption could affect Iran’s oil exports, critical imports, and broader macroeconomic stability. The interview highlights how war, sanctions, currency instability, and geopolitical escalation are jointly deepening Iran’s economic vulnerabilities.

The full interview can be watched on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UrSvS4EL3M