Mehran Kamrava, professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar, said
Tehran deliberately publicized the deaths of seven soldiers in a U.S. strike to
rally nationalist sentiment and shore up wartime support. He said Iran is
experiencing a nationalist resurgence while facing high inflation, high
unemployment and roughly $270 billion in economic losses. Kamrava added Iran
recognizes it cannot match the U.S. militarily and is shifting the conflict
toward economic targets, with recent attacks on shipping reflecting that
strategy. He warned the U.S. may respond in kind, attempting to exhaust Iran
economically as domestic hardship—food, basic security and housing—deepens.
