The processes that lead to collapse often happen slowly, can even go unnoticed, until a tipping point makes them seem abrupt. The Iranian regime has been “gradually” disintegrating for decades but are we watching the “suddenly” phase of its political bankruptcy? Being a dictatorship doesn’t exactly make it unique in the Middle East but its economic performance is exceptionally poor relative to its neighbours. How the conflict in the Middle East is already affecting Irish consumers Listen | 36:47Goaded by Tehran’s local enemies Israel and Saudi Arabia, the US appears to be seizing the opportunity to push Iran over the edge. Working out what’s going on inside the Iranian regime, which seems simultaneously defiant and desperate, is no easy task.

Source: The Irish Times March 06, 2026 15:02 UTC