Planet Money Iran, protests, and sanctions
139 snips
Feb 7, 2026 
Asfandjar Batmigelich (Yar), an Iranian-American researcher on Iran and West Asia, discusses how decades of U.S. sanctions shaped Iran’s economy and social life. He traces currency collapse, banking isolation, and moments of opening and tightening. The conversation highlights how economic pain fed recent widespread protests and who gained or lost amid sanctions.
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On-the-Ground Protest Experience
- Ali visited Tehran and watched protests erupt after the currency crashed and vendors struck at the bazaar.
- He joined an 8 p.m.
Sanctions Aim To Change Behavior Without War
- Sanctions aim to influence political behavior without military force by restricting trade and capital.
- They can motivate citizens to pressure their government when economic pain becomes unbearable.
Hostage Crisis Shaped Iran's Economic Identity
- Eva Leila recounts how the 1979 hostage crisis and U.S. asset freezes radicalized Iran's leaders against foreign investment.
- That debate produced constitutional bans on foreign concessions and a protectionist economic identity.
