Dear Colleague,
This week we are pleased to share a new Foreign Affairs essay by our CEO, Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, analyzing Iran’s ability to withstand the coercive effects of the Trump administration’s “economic onslaught.” While Iran’s leaders have recognized the detrimental effects of sanctions on the country’s economy, they continue to shift economic pressure onto ordinary people in a process of “financial repression.” Willing to sacrifice general economic welfare, Iranian authorities believe a slowing economy will help them persevere during the war with the U.S.
We have also published a new piece by energy expert Arya Kia, the first in a series of articles he has written examining the state of electricity generation in Iran. In this first entry, Arya unpacks Iran’s persistent shortfalls in generation capacity and examines a “paradox” whereby theoretical capacity is constrained by fuel constraints, maintenance requirements, aging equipment, water availability, transmission bottlenecks, and extreme temperatures.
Finally, a last reminder about our new account on X, where we post daily coverage of our experts’ media appearances and publications — follow us at @BourseBazaarFdn!
Best regards,
Layla Saghafian, Engagement Coordinator
External Publications
Why America Can’t Strangle Iran
By Esfandyar Batmanghelidj - Foreign Affairs - 8 September
Our Publications
Behind Iran’s Persistent Electricity Shortages Lies a Capacity Paradox
By Arya Kia - 8 September
Events
Executive Director of Research and Programs Mehran Haghirian spoke in a “Middle East Energy” roundtable focused on the Strait of Hormuz. The event was part of a long-running series hosted by the Baker Institute at Rice University, bringing scholars together with members of the energy industry and diplomatic community.
Mehran also participated in an EMANES webinar panel analyzing the economic consequences of the Iran war across the MENA region and Africa.
Media Engagements
In the past week, Esfandyar Batmanghelidj was quoted in the Wall Street Journal on how some leaders in Tehran view the growing economic pressure the country is facing.