‘Exactly what the US wanted’: Iranian economy near collapse as currency falls to ‘disastrous’ level

​News24 Washington Correspondent Jonathan Kearsley says the Iranian economy has fallen to a "disastrous" level following severe US pressure.

​“This is exactly what the United States is wanting to happen; they are wanting this currency to collapse on itself; they are wanting the economy to be crushed,” Mr Kearsley told News24 host Sharri Markson.

​“Their view now is that only then can the people rise up against the Iranian regime when their economy is completely in the mess, and they can’t afford the basic things.

​“The design of the crackdown is to put a real chokehold on the Iranian economy, and that’s exactly what we’re seeing starting to come through with fruition now. The oil money is drying up.