Iranians describe hardships as Trump expands sanctions

Iran’s news media was filled with upbeat economic
reports last week. Several tankers of oil had been exported to China,
and the economy minister said tax collections were up 30 percent.
Farm-raised shrimp production had expanded by 400 percent. “Summer
is here!” one article exulted, and online vacation rentals in the
country’s tourist spots were a potential growth market. But
on the streets of Iran’s cities, as the United States’ “maximum
pressure” sanctions took hold, the view was decidedly less sunny.