Tehran’s master class in diplomatic delusion continued Friday as Iran’s president pushed peace while his regime crumbles around him.
“We desire friendly relations with the countries of the region and the world, and we are striving to establish peace and security both inside and outside the country,” President Masoud Pezeshkian declared during a visit to North Khorasan province.
His comments come as Iran’s most powerful proxy forces in Hezbollah and Hamas have suffered massive blows in recent months at the hands of the Israelis. Adding to Tehran’s troubles, Syria’s new Sunni leadership warned the regime on Wednesday to keep its nose out of Syrian affairs following the fall of Iran’s longtime ally Bashar al-Assad.
Attempting to square his peace rhetoric with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s decades-long strategy of global jihad, Pezeshkian insisted Iran’s ambitions are purely defensive.
“We do not intend to invade other countries’ territories, nor will we allow anyone to encroach upon our borders or rights. Preserving the integrity of the country is a fundamental principle for us, but at the same time, our focus is on peace and security,” he stated.
However, Iran’s problems aren’t just external. Pezeshkian was forced to acknowledge the mismanagement of the country’s energy resources. Despite sitting on some of the world’s largest oil and gas reserves, the Islamic Republic is struggling with widespread power outages and gas shortages. Food producers have been particularly hard hit as poultry farmers report mass deaths of chicks while dairy products spoil during blackouts.
According to Iran International, factories must slash electricity use by 50% during daytime hours, 90% during peak evening hours, and 70% overnight. In Tehran’s Abbas Abad Industrial Compound, a major manufacturing hub for electronics, automotive parts, plastics and food products, factories are enduring power cuts lasting up to 14 hours daily.
While the majority of Iran’s electricity comes from fuel-burning plants, with the private sector nominally controlling 65% of generation, the reality is more complex. Many “private” power producers are actually owned by state entities and government banks. These plants have accumulated massive losses since 2018 due to strict price controls and unpaid government debts.
“Today, we have the largest oil and gas reserves, but consuming three or four times more than Europe has caused us a crisis,” Pezeshkian admitted, before making vague promises about addressing the infrastructure failures behind the shortages.
Economic experts predict the dam is eventually going to break as worker strikes over delayed wages and low pay have only grown during Iran’s economic decline. It could lead to open rebellion reminiscent of nationwide unrest in 2019 after the government suddenly announced a sharp increase in fuel prices. In response, Khamenei unleashed his attack dogs who opened fire on unarmed demonstrators. Human rights groups estimate between 300 and 1,500 innocent civilians were killed in just a matter of days.
