[76797] Reza Pahlavi's speech in Ukraine on Iran's threats and evidence of internal economic collapse

International tension and domestic criticism: Reza Pahlavi in Ukraine

In a speech delivered during the "Black Sea Security" conference in Odesa, Ukraine, Prince Reza Pahlavi called on the international community to cease attempts to negotiate with Tehran. Pahlavi defined the Moscow-Tehran axis as the "architects of global chaos" and claimed that "the drones hitting cities in Ukraine are the same tools used to suppress protesters on the streets of Iran". According to him, the free world has yet to understand the nature of the regime, and he called on the countries of the world to stand by the Iranian people in their struggle for regime change instead of signing futile agreements.

Reports of economic collapse and civilian hardships

In parallel to the political statements, the Iran International channel compiled chilling testimonies from citizens across Iran describing a difficult economic reality. Residents reported runaway inflation, with the prices of basic goods jumping fourfold, disrupted internet services, and difficulties in wage payments in the public and oil sectors. Workers in cities such as Bushehr, Shiraz, and Tehran describe a "life of poverty" and the loss of basic purchasing power, alongside protests by delivery drivers over salary levels.

War damages and tax payments

In terms of infrastructure, official sources in Iran have begun reporting on the scope of war damages. According to KhabarFouriNews, council member Jafar Pourkabgani revealed that the "South Pars" gas field suffered damages with an estimated value of about $4 billion during the fighting, with additional daily losses of about $2 million. Conversely, the state news agency IRNA – which presents an official and conservative line of the regime – published data on tax payments by government companies and religious institutions (such as Astan Quds Razavi) for the past year, in what appears to be an attempt to demonstrate economic transparency under growing critical pressure.