{
  "id": 2352539,
  "title": "Iranian families struggle to afford the basics as US ratchets up economic warfare",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/iranian-families-struggle-to-afford-the-basics-as-us-ratchets-up-2352539",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-21T09:23:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Associated Press",
    "slug": "associated-press",
    "url": "https://apnews.com/article/iran-economy-sanctions-inflation-73b0278a0307030588cac9f47b3443e0"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Tehran's bustling bazaar remains fully stocked, yet many families struggle to make ends meet. Unemployment rates have skyrocketed, with those who retain employment enduring longer hours while earning half the wages they received a year prior. This has resulted in a scarcity of food, medicine, and other necessities, with the exception of heavily subsidized gasoline. Ahmad Karimi, a 52-year-old taxi driver and father of two, has been working 15-hour days to cope with the financial strain. He admits to cutting out fruits, proteins, and leisure activities, even working on weekends. Since the conflict with the United States and Israel began six months ago, Iran's economy has faced significant challenges due to sanctions and a naval blockade, making it exceedingly difficult for the nation to export its most valuable export: oil. It remains uncertain whether the mounting economic pressure will lead to military or political concessions from Iran in the near future. However, some experts remain skeptical. Since the war's onset, Iran has been targeting oil-rich nations and U.S. bases in the region, as well as disrupting shipping activities in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, its primary advantage. The aim has been to gather enough leverage to negotiate favorable terms for an end to the war. Iran has been demanding sanctions relief and asserting control over the strait to demand payment from ships transiting through it. The U.S. administration, embroiled in a dispute over the contested waterway, is now vowing even harsher sanctions to force Iran to capitulate. However, experts caution that President Donald Trump may be underestimating Iran's resilience. While Iran has been grappling with Western sanctions for years, it has proven adept at circumventing them through domestic production, cross-border trade networks, purchasing restricted goods via third countries, and utilizing a shadow fleet for oil transportation. Hadi Kahalzadeh, a specialist on Iran's economy at Brandeis University, asserts that Iran's resistance capacity not only averts collapse but also prevents the economic hardship from translating into the political changes the U.S. anticipates.",
  "summary": "TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Tehran’s grocery stores are well-stocked, but many families can barely afford the basics. Unemployment is soaring and those with jobs are working more hours for money worth half as much as a year ago , putting food, medicine and everything else — except…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}