February 23, 2026
Trump’s Sanctions on Iran Have Dramatically Affected Its Economy and Led to Protests
President Trump is pondering military action in Iran. His administration has already been engaging in economic warfare. Recently, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that strategy has been successful and took credit for setting up the conditions that collapsed Iran's economy and triggered protests. Iran's response to those protests left at least 7,000 people dead. CNAS adjunct senior fellow joined NPR to discuss the humanitarian impact of sanctions.
Listen to the full podcast on NPR.
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