TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The struggles of Iran’s economy are testing its ability to withstand the war and defy Washington’s demands. Iranians have been hit by spiraling prices for food, medicine and other goods. At the same time, the country has seen mass job losses and business closures caused by strike damage to key industries and the government’s monthslong shutdown of the internet. Hadi Kahalzadeh is an Iranian economist and research fellow at Brandeis University. He says the economic cost of the war and the U.S. naval blockade has been substantial. But, he added, Iran has withstood decades of economic pressure and sanctions and its capacity to adapt has not been dismantled.
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