Iran’s leaders acknowledge economic toll of war, pledge diplomacy, defence

Iran’s leaders have acknowledged the mounting economic damage from six months of war with the United States, with President Masoud Pezeshkian stating that foreign trade has shrunk by more than a third due to US sanctions and a naval blockade. He noted that exports and imports had slumped nearly 35%. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei called on the government to address economic challenges such as inflation and unemployment.