How US sanctions and external threats destroyed Iran's economy

Decades of US sanctions, particularly the "maximum pressure" campaign that began in 2018, have played a central role in devastating Iran's economy. This sustained economic assault caused the country's GDP per capita to plummet from $8,000 to just $5,000 between 2012 and 2024. While the stated US goal was to force nuclear and regional concessions, the crisis is compounded by Tehran's own significant military spending and internal mismanagement.