Hope US, Iran soon reach deal, as economic situation worse than ever: Iranian Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi

In an exclusive interview to ANI on the sidelines of the Global Justice, Love and Peace Summit in Dubai, Ebadi said, "As you know, there are, at the moment, talks between Iran and the US in Oman and the Iranians are saying that the talks are indirect and the US is saying that the talks are direct. But both sides have agreed that these talks have to continue... and personally, I hope that they reach an agreement because if they do so, it will lessen the threat of war in Iran and the region."

Ebadi also addressed the dire economic situation currently facing Iran, characterised by high inflation and a depreciating currency, attributing its deterioration to a combination of domestic corruption, mismanagement, and the country's continued financial support for militant groups in the region.

She further alleged that the Iranian government's funding of its "proxies" like Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, among others, contributed to the imposition of international sanctions, including from the US, against the country. The sanctions exacerbated the economic crisis of Iran, said Ebadi, who served as one of the country's first judges and was conferred with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003.

"At the moment, the economic situation in Iran has hit an all-time low, and there are several factors responsible for that. One is the huge level of embezzlement and economic corruption in Iran. And second, you know, Iran has been funding its proxies in the region like Hezbollah in Lebanon, like the Houthis in Yemen, and until the fall of Bashar al-Assad, they were also bolstering the Assad regime. Another factor is the sanctions imposed on Iran by the US. All these factors combined have been making the economic situation worse than ever."

Washington and Tehran concluded "indirect" negotiations in Muscat on Saturday and agreed to hold further talks, as per a report in Al-Jazeera. Iranian state broadcaster Press TV cited the country's foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, who emphasised that the negotiations hosted by Oman were limited strictly to nuclear and sanctions-related issues. Earlier, Tehran rejected Washington's proposal for "direct" negotiations over US President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign and threats of military action against Iran. Following the discussion, the White House issued a statement saying the talks were "positive and constructive."

In March, Iran's Economy Minister Abdolnaser Hemmati was impeached after parliament voted to dismiss him amid rising inflation and a falling currency. In 2015, the exchange rate for the Iranian rial stood at 32,000 to one US dollar.

However, by the time President Masoud Pezeshkian's government assumed office in July 2024, the rial had significantly depreciated, reaching approximately 600,000 to the dollar in the open market.

In addition to the country's internal challenges, US sanctions have significantly contributed to the country's dire economic conditions. On February 4 this year, President Donald Trump signed a memorandum restoring maximum pressure on the government of Iran, denying the nation "all paths to a nuclear weapon, and countering Iran's malign influence abroad."

Earlier this month, the US Department of State imposed sanctions on four entities engaged in Iranian petroleum trade and identified two vessels as blocked property. Apart from the US, the EU had also imposed sanctions against Iran in response to its human rights abuses, nuclear proliferation activities and military support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.

President Donald Trump pulled the US out of a previous nuclear agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, between Iran and world powers in 2018.