US attacks on Iran: Trump's next bombshell is inflation

The U.S. military has resumed its naval blockade against Iranian ports following a series of attacks targeting critical infrastructure, including rail bridges, which have raised concerns over potential war crimes. President Donald Trump has once again threatened further strikes on civilian facilities, warning that such actions would occur “if they don’t negotiate.” This escalation comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, with both sides employing economic pressure and strategic maneuvering to gain leverage. Last week, U.S. forces bombed the Aq-Tekeh-Khan railway bridge near the border with Turkmenistan, a key link connecting Iran to major trading partners such as China and Kazakhstan. The bridge is part of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, facilitating crucial trade routes. In Tehran, the attack was interpreted as a message that the United States is targeting alternative transportation corridors alongside its maritime restrictions. According to reports from the newspaper Sharq, the number of trains carrying goods from China through this route increased threefold during the initial U.S. naval blockade between April and June. Russia also reportedly boosted its cargo deliveries via rail. Despite the damage caused, the attack appeared to serve more as a warning than a decisive strike. The current port closures have significantly disrupted Iran’s ability to export oil, its primary source of foreign currency. With limited loading capacity, Iran has already filled all available tankers, making it difficult to bypass the sanctions. The situation has led to rising import costs, as goods must now be transported overland instead of by sea. This shift has contributed to inflation, which reached 83 percent year-on-year in June, according to the Central Bank. Former Communications Minister Javad Azari Jahromi warned on Telegram that Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were preparing their next move, not with conventional weapons, but with inflation. He likened the battlefield to the dinner table, emphasizing how the population is bearing the brunt of the economic strain. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has publicly expressed confidence that the country can endure these hardships longer than the U.S. could manage the consequences of its retaliatory strikes on global markets. However, internal pressures appear to be mounting. Reports suggest that the head of the Central Bank, Abdolnaser Hemmati, warned Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a letter about an impending financial crisis and shortages of essential goods. Similarly, President Masoud Pezeshkian allegedly described the economic situation as catastrophic and threatened to resign if Khamenei refused to sign a memorandum. As a result, Khamenei ordered the president to seek approval from the National Security Council, which ultimately granted consent with 12 of its 13 members voting in favor. In response to the worsening conditions, the government has introduced measures to alleviate the burden on citizens, including a nationwide rent cap of 25 percent. These steps reflect the growing perception that inflation poses a direct threat to national security. Meanwhile, the administration has announced plans to exempt certain food items and medications from import duties, aiming to stabilize supply chains and reduce costs. Amid these developments, slogans such as “We Kill Trump” continue to circulate online, symbolizing public frustration and defiance toward U.S. policies.