Iranian Parliament Speaker Mocks Trump Slogan Amid Economic War
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has launched sharp criticism against the U.S. administration as Iran anticipates the imposition of "the toughest U.S. sanctions ever," according to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. In a post on "X" platform today, Monday, Ghalibaf, considered a senior Iranian negotiator, mocked former U.S. President Donald Trump's favorite slogan, "Make America Great Again," sarcastically rephrasing it to "Make America Hungry Again!" Ghalibaf added that "defeats cannot be hidden behind misleading claims," citing figures he presented as a depiction of American reality, alleging that 47 million Americans face hunger daily. These Iranian stances come amidst a record decline in the Iranian Rial, which hit an all-time low. Its exchange rate in unofficial currency markets reached 2.02 million Rials against one U.S. dollar at the start of trading. Although the Iranian Central Bank sets an official rate of approximately 1.5 million Rials per dollar, the unofficial rate is what most Iranians actually deal with. The Iranian currency was already under intense pressure before the recent events in the region on February 28, amid inflation exceeding 10% and negative economic growth. The Rial continued to register new record lows as economic damage from the nearly six-month-long conflict intensified. The U.S. naval blockade on Iran has had a significant impact, leading to a drop in its oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz from two million barrels per day before the war to just 400,000 barrels per day by mid-August, according to data from Kepler, a company specializing in maritime traffic tracking. Iran has long been subjected to crippling international sanctions for decades, with a brief period of relief under the 2015 nuclear agreement signed with major powers. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew his country from this deal in 2018, launching a "maximum pressure" campaign. Washington has expanded the scope of these sanctions since the outbreak of the recent conflict. In a related context, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent asserted in an article published by the Financial Times yesterday, Sunday, that "the biggest financial attack ever" would begin against Tehran, warning that any country continuing to cooperate with the Islamic Republic would become a "global pariah." Bessent also claimed in another post on "X" today that the United States had succeeded in "dismantling Iranian military capabilities, destroying nearly 100% of its military factories, and burying its nuclear program." In response, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi quickly retorted via "X," stating that the U.S. recourse to "financial warfare" proves the falsehood of its claims. Gharibabadi wrote: "Your narrative does not hold up, as you claim that Iran's military power has been dismantled, that 100% of its military factories have been destroyed, and that its nuclear program has been buried." Gharibabadi then asked, indignantly, "Is this a victory or an admission of America's defeat?" referring to the alleged necessity of "the biggest financial invasion in history and the mobilization of all institutions and powers in the United States" despite those claims.
