American intervention in Iran: A new test for Islamic world

2026-02-27 - 20:44

IRAN’S nuclear program, combined with concerns over Israel’s security, anxiety among Gulf nations and America’s dominance, has pushed the region to the brink of war. Any military action against Iran would not target a single country but could escalate into a confrontation of global powers’ interests. Should the Trump administration undertake direct or indirect military operations, the conflict would extend beyond Tehran, with threats such as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, disruptions in global oil supply and rising energy prices affecting the world. The US has acknowledged its involvement in violent protests in Iran from December 2025 to January 2026, aimed at turning the populace against the government to enable regime change. US Treasury Secretary Scott Basset revealed that Washington deliberately created a dollar shortage, causing the Iranian Rial to plummet and compelling citizens to protest in the streets, further intensifying political and economic instability. The ongoing protests in Iran have challenged the state’s structure while giving global powers, particularly the U.S., an opportunity to justify ethical, political, and indirect intervention in internal affairs. During December and January, Iran witnessed its largest anti-government demonstrations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, primarily triggered by a severe economic crisis. Washington has long viewed Iran as a major obstacle to its Middle East interests, and tensions have escalated beyond statements and diplomacy, with the possibility of military confrontation growing daily. Protests against rising prices began on December 28, 2025, when Tehran’s shopkeepers closed their stores to demonstrate against soaring inflation. By the end of December, the Iranian Rial had plummeted from 700,000 to 15 million per U.S. dollar. The demonstrations started peacefully in Tehran but quickly spread to other provinces, escalating in violence with U.S. support, as Trump incited the people through social media, after which the Iranian government suppressed the protests and arrested local instigators. Now, the question arises: how did Washington create a dollar shortage in Iran that led to the rapid devaluation of the Rial and how were the Iranian people affected by this? To generate a dollar shortage, the US simultaneously limited two major sources of foreign currency in Iran: oil exports and access to international banking. The US took this step by imposing sanctions on Iranian oil, which can lead to penalties for those buying or selling Iranian oil. Iran’s economy largely depends on oil revenue, making the oil sanctions a significant cause of the severe dollar shortage in the country. Furthermore, the US has halted companies worldwide from engaging in dollar transactions with Iran through secondary sanctions, limiting Iran’s financial reserves abroad and stopping new dollars from entering the country. In a congressional hearing, the US Treasury Secretary explained the American strategy for devaluing Iran’s currency. He stated that the US Treasury created a shortage of dollars in Iran, peaking in December when one of Iran’s major banks went bankrupt. Following this, the Iranian currency rapidly depreciated, inflation rose and the public took to the streets. Previously, at the World Economic Forum, Basset mentioned that President Donald Trump had ordered a policy of maximum pressure on Iran, resulting in a severe crisis for the Iranian economy. As a result of US actions, the value of the Iranian Rial plummeted to nearly 1.5 million rials per dollar, while a year earlier, the rate was around 700,000 rials. This drastic decline in currency value led to an average price increase of 72% for food. In 2018, during his first presidency, Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement, under which Iran was receiving relief from sanctions in exchange for limiting its nuclear program. After being reelected last year, Trump further increased economic pressure to force Iran back to negotiations. Last month, he also threatened to impose a 25% tariff on countries trading with Iran. Compared to past measures against Iran, this latest US strategy has proven more damaging. According to research, by 2019, the middle class in Iran had shrunk by about 28% and economic sanctions had eroded the purchasing power of the Iranian public, depleting their savings. America’s acknowledgment of deliberately creating a dollar shortage in Iran represents a new strategy of economic warfare, while US Secretary of State Scott Basset called it economic diplomacy that pressures without firing a shot. The ultimate goal is regime change, which cannot be achieved through sanctions alone. Meanwhile, the US is increasing its military presence near Iran, including warships, fighter jets and refuelling aircraft, with a second aircraft carrier deployed and the USS Abraham Lincoln, with about 80 aircraft, positioned 700 kilometres from the Iranian coast. Iran has warned the UN it will respond decisively to any American or Israeli attack. Simultaneously, the second round of US-Iran negotiations, mediated by Oman in Geneva, has been completed. This is a crucial time for Pakistan to make wise decisions, as the aggression of major powers always leads to devastation for smaller and weaker nations. Iran stands at a critical juncture, facing the question of state authority and ideological identity on one side, while on the other side, there are public expectations and shifting global realities. Instability in Iran could affect the entire Middle East, with repercussions on oil prices, regional security and global politics. If the US were genuinely concerned about human rights, it would pursue diplomacy and negotiations instead of imposing sanctions and intervening against Iran. The Middle East appears to be at a fragile crossroads once again; if the escalating tensions between Iran and the US turn into an open conflict, the consequences will not be confined to Tehran and Washington but could engulf the entire world in the flames of war. —The writer is Chairman, Tehrik Jawanan Pakistan. (abdullahhamidgul1@gmail.com)