US sanctions on Iran are Devastating. Is a Coup Possible?
The economic sanctions imposed on Iran last year when President Trump pulled out of the nuclear year have left the regime in a dire situation.
“They have fewer resources. We can see it with the Shia militias in Iraq,” said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
“We think the Iranian government will shrink, that their GDP will shrink by as much as 12 or 14 percent this year…This will reduce their capacity to purchase the things they need, the equipment they need, the materials they need, to inflict terror around the world.”
Iran’s GDP grew by more than 12% in 2016 and by more than 3% in 2017. Last year, the economy grew at a rate of -3% and is expected to do twice as worse this year.
Reports suggest that 17 of Iran’s 18 government-funded retirement funds are losing money (this includes MILITARY pension funds). According to official documents, government subsidies for food, drugs, and fuel are also running out.
US officials point to Iran’s troubles as evidence that Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign is working, while Iranians claim the sanctions are unfair.
“I noted the repeated statements by @SecPompeo that Iran must change its policies in order for Iranians to eat is pure #EconomicTerrorism,” tweeted Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif. “Tying bread & medicine to politics is to kill & starve people into submission. Iranians will never capitulate.”
In the meantime, Trump is considering a proposal by French President Emmanual Macron to provide $15 billion in credit to Tehran if Iranian leaders agree to comply with the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal. He is also considering lifting the sanctions in exchange for a face-to-face meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
Author’s Note: The best-case scenario for Trump is that the economic situation in Iran will spur a military coup. This would prove the power of US sanctions and perhaps convince other countries to cooperate with us in the future.
Editor’s note: Military organizations in tyrannical countries that support dictatorships or oligarchies are notoriously impatient when it comes to shortages that affect them. A failed military pension will not be tolerated. We could very easily see a military coup against the religious leaders of Iran.
If a coup in Iran is successful, then strategies using sanctions will become more popular, and Trump and the U.S. will rise in reputation, having used this successfully.
What will a military coup accomplish other than bring more competent but not less radicals to leadership?
John . . . it would be nearly impossible to “bring more radical leadership” to the forefront, as what they currently have has “infected” the world with their murder and deceit.
What Iran doesn’t want to understand is the world knows where the mullahs meet every morning and evening and precision strikes could take out the radical ones . . . . if they can hopefully be differentiated from the sane ones?
Every nation’s “leaders” depends on its economy to keep them in power so damaging Iran’s Economy is the only way to “send the radical Mullahs” home to the 7th Ring . . . . along with their 72 Virgin Goats.
It is much better than open warfare.
Where i iran will you find 72virgin goats???
Ahahahaha!!
Here is a much better solution. Monitor when their next large government assembly is planned and drop a bunker buster on it, along with a few more that decimate their radical military units.
This is just crazy! Giving help to evil wow that’s the whole problem giving guns, and all military supplies to evil people. Just waiting to retaliate against our USA ! All these wars in our past blame your government. They gave them the power and our USA soldiers paid for price. Trump, is just that stupid to even think that helping word of mouth or a piece of paper really does Trump, think he’s really “GOD”? No! He can’t stop nothing. This will never stop evil from continuing to build nuclear weapons ! Do you truly believe North Korea , has stopped making nuclear weapons? No! So, Trump, thinks he’s a peacemaker ha but a great con-artist and the secrets Trump, keeps. Believe! He’s not for the people of the USA mark my text message words.