{
  "id": 3009781,
  "title": "Sanctions didn't break Iran. They hardened it",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/sanctions-didnt-break-iran-they-hardened-it",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-24T11:32:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Middle East Eye",
    "slug": "middle-east-eye",
    "url": "https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/sanctions-didnt-break-iran-they-hardened-it"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sanctions against Iran have not caused the country to collapse, but rather hardened its resilience. In the past decade, Iran experienced a decade of growth that was denied, and now it has developed a tolerance for punishment that is uncommon in open economies. Households in Iran are bearing the brunt of the sanctions, with Iranian banknotes losing value. The Strait of Hormuz has been largely closed for the past six months, affecting the global oil market. Despite the closure, the price of Brent crude has only dropped slightly from $90 per barrel to around $90. However, the broader global economy has not experienced significant changes. The most striking difference is the situation within Iran. Economically, Iran should have been in freefall, with a contraction in growth, high consumer prices, and reduced gas and petrol output. However, official unemployment remains low at 7.5 percent, salaries and pensions are being paid, and shops are stocked. Banks have not faced any crises, and major firms have not failed. The key reason for this stability lies in the fact that Iran has negligible external debt and limited foreign portfolio investment. Consequently, there is no room for capital flight. The Tehran Stock Exchange remained closed for about 80 days, but when it reopened, the market index initially fell but then reached an all-time high after the war. This resilience is not a result of the sanctions working; rather, it is a consequence of 15 years of pressure that has built up the capability to absorb such shocks.",
  "summary": "Sanctions didn't break Iran. They hardened it Submitted by Mahyar Ramezankhani on Fri, 08/21/2026 - 20:00 Tehran was denied a decade of growth, and given in exchange a tolerance for punishment that few open economies possess Iranian banknotes - households are paying the price (Atta Kenare/AFP) On The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed for most of the past six months. Brent crude is…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 9,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "FXStreet",
        "title": "Australian Dollar holds near June highs, above 0.7150 ahead of expected Iran sanctions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/australian-dollar-holds-near-june-highs-above-0-7150-ahead-of",
        "published": "2026-08-24T07:20:44.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "Iran warns of 'consequences' for countries joining US economic sanctions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/iran-warns-of-consequences-for-countries-joining-us-economic-sanctions",
        "published": "2026-08-24T09:07:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Investing.com",
        "title": "Dollar drifts near 3-month lows on trade retaliation and Iran sanctions threat",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/dollar-drifts-near-3-month-lows-on-trade-retaliation-and-iran",
        "published": "2026-08-24T09:19:29.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Oil falls ahead of US announcement of new sanctions on Iran",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/oil-falls-ahead-of-us-announcement-of-new-sanctions-on-iran",
        "published": "2026-08-24T09:58:12.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "US threatens toughest sanctions yet against Iran: What we know",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/us-threatens-toughest-sanctions-yet-against-iran-what-we-know",
        "published": "2026-08-24T10:23:11.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Ajel English",
        "title": "Iran vows to leverage bilateral ties to counter US sanctions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/iran-vows-to-leverage-bilateral-ties-to-counter-us-sanctions",
        "published": "2026-08-24T10:43:39.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Iran warns of a harsh response to anticipated US sanctions and other Middle East news",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/iran-warns-of-a-harsh-response-to-anticipated-us-sanctions-and-other",
        "published": "2026-08-24T10:49:28.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "DW English (Top Stories)",
        "title": "US to unveil new Iran sanctions, says war entering 'endgame'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/us-to-unveil-new-iran-sanctions-says-war-entering-endgame",
        "published": "2026-08-24T11:35:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}