The struggling economy has been a major headache for the regime because not only is it causing financial issues, it is also one of the main reasons for the widespread unrest in which the people of Iran are demanding regime change.

The people are openly criticising the regime, the government and even the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Criticising the country’s leadership is nothing shocking in itself when you consider its behaviour and the widespread corruption it is responsible for, but in Iran the people who voice dissent risk arrest, torture, imprisonment and even execution.

President Trump announced that crippling sanctions would be put back in place and it has already started to show some effects. The sanctions on the oil sector that are due to take effect at the beginning of November are already having a remarkable impact. Countries are drastically reducing their imports of Iranian oil.

Even European countries that have voiced strong opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump’s measures are taking steps to cut their oil imports and it is expected that by next month they will already be down to zero. They do not dare risk being excluded from the powerful U.S. financial system.

The Iranian regime has regarded itself as indestructible over the past few years and this is largely because of the Obama administration’s treatment of Iran during his time in office. These years became known as the golden years because the Iranian regime was on the receiving end of numerous concessions and the administration turned a blind eye to most of the regime’s belligerence.

After years of getting away with murder, literally, the regime is now being held accountable by the U.S. administration. It is no longer benefiting from feelings of invincibility.

As well as feeling pressure from the United States, there are other goings-on that are holding Iran accountable.

For example, several social media companies have been criticised for allowing fake accounts to spread powerful propaganda. Twitter and Facebook have both taken steps to stop this from happening in the future.

Iran uses techniques like this on social media and it has lobbies that spread messages in the regime’s favour. There was a huge undertaking to influence social media users when Trump announced that sanctions were to be re-imposed.

The Iranian regime, of course, and predictably, denied all knowledge of this and then tried to turn the world’s attention elsewhere. It said that Saudi Arabia, Israel and opposition groups abroad have been campaigning to overthrow the regime.

However, it needs to look closer to home. The Iranian people overwhelmingly support regime change because it is the only alternative to the miserable existence that is being inflicted upon them.

The people of Iran are battling to restore the great nation of Iran to something that it can be wholly proud of again. The regime is their only obstacle.