This is a good summary of the dire situation the Iranian regime finds itself faced with. I don’t agree with the Financial Times opinion on economic pressure from the US or the Obama Nuclear deal with Iran, but this is the best presentation of those positions I have seen.
“…Troubles are mounting in Iran. Its currency, the rial, has lost more than half its value against the dollar on unofficial markets this year and inflation is soaring. Even middle-class Iranians are struggling to get by, with food prices rising and reported fuel shortages in some cities. Sporadic anti-government demonstrations are continuing. Worse, the economic pressure on the country is set to mount. The US government last week reinstated economic sanctions that had been waived as part of the Iran nuclear deal of 2015. These punitive economic measures are set to intensify in November, when the US will seek to ban Iranian oil exports. EU nations have pledged to try to preserve economic ties with Iran. But it seems probable that most large European companies will sacrifice trade with Iran, rather than risk suffering from secondary sanctions. The US government says its goal in re-imposing sanctions is to force Iran to make deeper concessions on its nuclear programme and to stop its military and political intervention in neighbouring countries — in particular Syria, Lebanon and Iraq…”