Donald Trump’s grave threat against Iran shows how the US and Israeli campaign has expanded to target the cornerstones of Tehran’s economy.
Widespread attacks on Tuesday hit Iran’s railroads, bridges, and its energy hub, a sign the US and Israel aim to “impoverish Iran as a country and break the internal coherence that has allowed it to survive sanctions,” an expert said. Iranians now fear “an onslaught on the fabric of their nation,” the Financial Times wrote. But even if the strikes decimate Iran’s civilian economy, Tehran’s war machine is largely insulated, The Economist noted.
By threatening widespread destruction in Iran, Trump misunderstands Tehran’s survival paradox, an Iran expert argued: “What makes the nation suffer makes the regime thrive.”