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JERUSALEM – President-elect Donald Trump intends to renew his campaign of maximum pressure against Islamic Republic of Iran coupled with the country’s chronic gas shortages could be a one-two punch to bring down the world’s worst state sponsor of terrorism, according to one prominent expert.
“This gas shortage inside Iran is very significant and reveals the growing vulnerability of the regime on multiple fronts. From the defeat of Hezbollah and Hamas in their conflicts with Israel, to the losses of the Houthis in Yemen and the collapse of the Syrian regime under Assad, we see a consistent erosion of the regime’s influence,” Lisa Daftari, an Iran expert and managing editor of The Foreign Desk, told Fox News Digital.
She continued: “Add to this the precipitous fall of the Rial and the stunning mismanagement of resources despite the easing of sanctions and the billions handed over through unilateral deals under Biden’s watch – it’s no surprise the regime is under immense pressure.”
IRAN IS EXPANDING WEAPON CAPABILITIES CRITICAL FOR THE USE OF A NUCLEAR BOMB
TEHRAN, IRAN – DECEMBER 19: A view of traffic lights as power outages occur across the country, including the capital Tehran, Iran on December 19, 2024. In Iran, where power supply problems are prevalent, blackouts that are typical in summer are have extended to winter as well. Due to the shutdown, schools and public institutions are closed in many cities, while in some areas education will continue online. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“With President Trump likely to return to his leadership stance emphasizes maximum pressurethe Iranian people could find themselves in an environment ripe for demanding regime change, Daftari said.
Widespread power outages and severe gas shortages for households have shaken Iran’s rulers. Acute anxiety over social and political unrest is on the minds of the rulers who control Iran and are quick to impose violence on mass dissent.
National protests over fuel prices and violent repression against women for improperly wearing the mandatory hijab rocked the Tehran regime in 2019 and 2022.
In 2019, Fox News Digital reported that the Iranian regime had killed at least 106 people protesting fuel price hikes. Three years later, in 2022, the regime’s infamous morality police killed a young woman, Masha Amini, for not adequately covering her hair. The 2022 protests turned into widespread calls across the nation for the dissolution of the Islamic Republic.
According to a report Tuesday in the London-based Iran International news organization, Iran’s justice chief sent a directive to prevent unrest due to power and gas cuts.
Protesters in Iran protest against the 2022 regime. (Credit: NCRI)
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei, head of Iran’s judiciary reportedly said: “The Attorney General and prosecutors across the country, in direct cooperation with the intelligence services, security agencies and law enforcement agencies, should take all appropriate measures and arrangements to stabilize and strengthen the security of the people and citizens, and as before, even with greater firmness, to take appropriate measures so that the enemy’s conspiracy to create insecurity… is neutralized.”
ISRAEL WATCHES IRAN’S NUCLEAR SITES AMID REPORTS TRUMP MULLS BLOCKED TEHRAN’S ATOMIC PROGRAM
TEHRAN, IRAN – DECEMBER 19: A view of shops as power outages hit across the country, including the capital city of Tehran, Iran on December 19, 2024. In Iran, where power supply problems are prevalent, power outages typically experienced during summers have extended into winter this year. Due to the shutdown, schools and public institutions are closed in many cities, while in some areas education will continue online. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Despite Iran’s vast natural gas and oil reserves, years of underinvestment, economic mismanagement, corruption and sanctions have left the energy sector ill-prepared for seasonal spikes.
The Islamic Republic has also pumped huge funds into its terrorist proxies, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, over the years. Matthew Levitt, a counterterrorism expert at the Washington-based Institute for Near East Policy, said Iran funnels roughly $700 million to $1 billion a year to Hezbollah and $100 million a year to Hamas.
President-elect Donald Trump gestures at AmericaFest, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Phoenix. On Monday, Trump vowed that the Justice Department would initiate the death penalty following President Biden’s move to commute the death sentences of 37 inmates. (AP Photo/Rick Scooteri)
Iran’s rial fell to an all-time low on Dec. 18, losing more than 10% of its value since Trump won the presidential election in November and signaling new challenges for Tehran as it remains mired in wars raging across the Middle East.
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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (right) meets with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad (left) in Tehran, Iran, on February 25, 2019. (PRESS OFFICE OF THE IRANIAN LEADER / HANDOUT/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Iran’s central bank has flooded the market with multiple hard currencies in the past in an attempt to improve the exchange rate.
The currency fell as Iran ordered the closure of schools, universities and government offices on Wednesday amid a worsening energy crisis exacerbated by harsh winter conditions. The crisis followed a summer of blackouts and has now been exacerbated by extreme cold, snow and air pollution.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
