According to a notable expert, the combination of President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to reintroduce his aggressive approach towards the Islamic Republic of Iran and the ongoing gas shortage in the country could potentially lead to the downfall of the primary state sponsor of terrorism in the world.
Highlighting the significance of the gas shortage within Iran, Lisa Daftari, an expert in Iranian affairs and the editor-in-chief of The Foreign Desk, emphasized the increasing vulnerabilities of the regime on various fronts. Daftari pointed out a pattern of weakening influence demonstrated through the defeats of groups like Hezbollah and Hamas in confrontations with Israel, the setbacks faced by the Houthis in Yemen, and the fall of the Syrian regime led by Assad.
Daftari further elaborated that alongside the devaluation of the Iranian currency, the Rial, the severe mismanagement of resources despite the easing of sanctions and significant financial injections as part of agreements during Biden’s administration have collectively intensified the pressure on the Iranian regime.
TEHRAN, IRAN – DECEMBER 19: A view of the shops as power cuts are occurring across the country, including in the capital, Tehran, Iran on December 19, 2024. In Iran, where electricity supply issues are prevalent, power outages that are typically experienced during the summer have extended into the winter this year. Due to the outages, schools and public institutions have been closed in many cities, while in some areas, education will continue online. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Despite Iran’s vast natural gas and oil reserves, years of underinvestment, economic mismanagement, corruption and sanctions have left the energy sector ill-prepared for seasonal surges.
The Islamic Republic has also pumped massive funds into its terrorist proxies, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, over the years. Matthew Levitt, a counter-terrorism expert for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, has said that Iran funnels roughly $700 million to $1 billion a year to Hezbollah and Hamas secures $100 million a year.
President-elect Donald Trump points at AmericaFest, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Phoenix. On Monday, Trump pledged to have the Justice Department pursue the death penalty following President Biden’s move to commute death sentences for 37 inmates. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
The Iranian rial on December 18 fell to its lowest level in history, losing more than 10% of value since Trump won the presidential election in November and signaling new challenges for Tehran as it remains locked in the wars raging across the Middle East.
Iran’s religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (R) meets Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad (L) in Tehran, Iran on February 25, 2019. (IRANIAN LEADER PRESS OFFICE / HANDOUT/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Iran’s Central Bank has in the past flooded the market with more hard currencies in an attempt to improve the rate.
The currency plunged as Iran ordered the closure of schools, universities, and government offices on Wednesday due to a worsening energy crisis exacerbated by harsh winter conditions. The crisis follows a summer of blackouts and is now compounded by severe cold, snow and air pollution.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
