Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has urged Tehran to end its ongoing conflict with the United States from a “position of strength,” as mounting economic pressure intensifies internal debate over the war’s trajectory. US President Donald Trump recently announced a fresh wave of economic warfare, aiming to compel Iran to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz after a collapsed interim agreement last month.

While hardline factions, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, argue Iran can withstand sanctions and escalate costs, senior officials like Pezeshkian and parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warn of worsening economic strain. Pezeshkian defended the June interim deal as dignified, asserting Iran made no concessions while the US took on all obligations.

Trump, backed by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, is escalating financial pressure, threatening unprecedented sanctions and targeting nations trading with Iran. Iran’s foreign ministry condemned these moves as “economic terrorism,” vowing accountability for US officials. Meanwhile, economic indicators paint a grim picture: oil exports have halted, foreign reserves are frozen, and petrol imports face severe limitations. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei recently reshuffled security leadership, signaling a shift toward hardline influence.