The Islamic Republic of Iran is going through the most challenging time since its establishment in the 1979 Revolution. The devastating impact of the sanctions imposed by the US and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have taken a toll on Iranians, especially the poor. When Donald Trump became US President in 2016, he withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a negotiated nuclear agreement between six leading global powers (US, France, Britain, Germany, Russia and China) and Iran. This was supposed to end Iranian nuclear enrichment and bring the country closer to the West.