A sharp rebuttal by a regime-linked economist reveals growing unease within Iran’s own power structure over officials trivializing public suffering
As large segments of Iranian society struggle under crushing poverty, soaring prices, and chronic economic insecurity, senior regime figures continue to speak of the so-called “blessings of sanctions.”
Remarks by Abbas Araghchi, the regime’s foreign minister, have reignited public anger and drawn an unusually blunt response from within the regime’s own intellectual circles.
What was once propaganda aimed at justifying policy failure has now become a symbol of the widening chasm between a privileged ruling class and a population forced to bear the cost of its miscalculations.
The phrase “blessings of sanctions” has long circulated among Iran regime’s political elite, but its repetition at a time of deepening hardship has made it increasingly inflammatory. For many Iranians, such language is not merely detached from reality; it is an insult delivered from a position of comfort and immunity.
An Unusual Rebuke from Inside the System
On December 25, 2025, the state-affiliated outlet Entekhab reported on a critical note published by Mohammad Tabibian, a well-known regime-linked economist, in response to Araghchi’s remarks. Araghchi had claimed that he understood both the “blessings” and the costs of sanctions and spoke of accepting life under them—comments widely perceived as dismissive of the daily suffering endured by ordinary citizens.
Tabibian’s response stood out for its clarity and directness. Rather than defending the narrative, he challenged its moral and social legitimacy, questioning who exactly has the authority to speak “on behalf of the people.”
He opened his note with a Persian proverb—“Every moment brings a new fruit from this garden, fresher than the last”—signaling that such remarks have become disturbingly routine.
To underline his point, Tabibian referenced the Great Depression of 1929 in the United States, recalling how John D. Rockefeller once tried to boost public morale by announcing that he and his son were buying stocks. A journalist’s sharp reply exposed the absurdity of the gesture: who, other than Rockefeller, could afford to do so?
Privilege Masquerading as Empathy
Through this historical parallel, Tabibian implicitly described Iran’s present condition. Speaking of the “blessings of sanctions” from a position of wealth and protection, he argued, is not an act of solidarity but a humiliation of those who suffer.
Sanctions may appear tolerable—or even beneficial—to those whose tables are never empty. For families crushed by inflation and stagnant wages, the phrase carries the sting of mockery.
Tabibian reinforced this critique by invoking a verse from the Persian poet Baba Taher:
“If you are not my cure, why are you my pain? Why sprinkle salt on my wounded heart?”
The line encapsulates a broader social grievance: officials who do not experience hardship prescribing patience to those who do.
The most striking passage of Tabibian’s note came when he addressed Araghchi directly, writing that “everyone knows that he and others like him can live well and comfortably even under far worse conditions.”
With this single sentence, Tabibian stripped away the pretense of shared sacrifice and exposed a class that remains insulated from crisis. He concluded pointedly: “Please, do not speak on behalf of the people.”
Let the People Speak for Themselves
Tabibian suggested that if officials genuinely wish to understand public sentiment, they should ask the people directly and allow them to describe their own conditions in their own words. The implication was unmistakable: claims of resilience and benefit ring hollow when they come from those untouched by deprivation.
That such criticism comes not from the opposition but from within the regime’s own orbit is politically significant. It signals that tolerance for this level of disregard toward public suffering is eroding even among those who have long operated inside the system. The concept of the “blessings of sanctions” is no longer defensible—not only in the streets, but increasingly within the corridors of power.
A Regime Out of Touch with Reality
The repeated invocation of sanctions as a source of strength by well-off officials underscores a profound disconnect between the ruling establishment and Iranian society. Tabibian’s blunt response highlights that this rhetoric has crossed a line. A regime that does not experience pain has no moral standing to lecture its citizens on endurance and sacrifice.
This growing gap is one of the clearest signs of a system in advanced decay—a system that has long ceased to see, let alone feel, the suffering of its people, while shifting the burden of its failures onto those least able to bear it.
Yet history has shown that societies pushed to the edge do not remain silent forever. The same population now mocked with talk of “blessings” may ultimately become the force that brings an unjust order to its end.
