May 28th, 2026: Iran Is In Far Worse Shape Than It Admits & Israel’s Drops Another Hamas Commander
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
It's Thursday, the 28th of May. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. And yes, thank you for noticing, I am on the road. All right, let's get briefed.
What internal pressures is Iran facing amidst economic turmoil?
First up, Iran continues projecting strength, but new reporting suggests the regime may be under enormous internal pressure as economic turmoil, fuel rationing, and the fallout from an 88-day internet blackout take their toll. Later in the show, Israel says it's killed Hamas's new military chief less than two weeks after taking out its predecessor as the campaign to decapitate the terror group's leadership continues inside Gaza. Plus, Ukraine may be losing backing for a key ammunition procurement effort as support for a Czech-led coalition begins to crack. And in today's Back of the Brief, Russian bankers may soon have a new job description, and that would be drone defense. Moscow has now authorized parts of its financial system to engage incoming UAVs, so the bankers have to be excited about that opportunity.
But first, today's PDB Spotlight. Iran's leadership insists that the country is standing strong. The regime continues issuing threats. Revolutionary Guard commanders are denouncing diplomacy as weakness, and Tehran is still publicly refusing to surrender its nuclear ambitions. But behind the scenes, a very different reality may be taking shape. Because according to a growing body of reporting from outlets including Reuters, the Wall Street Journal, and others, there are increasing signs that the state of Iran may be far worse than the regime is letting on. And perhaps the clearest indication of that came earlier this week, when Iran partially restored Internet access for some citizens after nearly three months of blackout conditions.
Internet access inside Iran remains unstable and heavily restricted. Platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram are still blocked in many areas without VPN access. But even the limited restoration may reveal something important. The blackout was becoming economically unsustainable. The shutdown reportedly lasted 88 days, making it one of the longest nationwide Internet blackouts ever recorded, and the economic consequences appear to have been enormous. Reuters reports that Iranian businesses relying on online commerce were effectively cut off from customers, of course, for months. The Associated Press cites estimates that the blackout may have cost the Iranian economy up to $80 million per day. And this wasn't happening in a healthy economy to begin with.
Iran entered this year already dealing with soaring inflation, a collapse in currency, subsidy protests, and growing public anger over the cost of basic goods. Reuters reported back in January that the protests posed one of the biggest internal challenges to Iran's clerical rulers in years, driven in large part by economic hardship. At the same time, the country has also been absorbing the economic effects of war, sanctions and strikes on energy infrastructure and disruptions tied to the fighting in the Strait of Hormuz. The Wall Street Journal reports that Iranian officials are now aggressively pursuing access to frozen foreign assets and relief from economic pressure, with mediators discussing the possible phased release of billions of dollars in Iranian funds currently frozen abroad.
And according to Reuters, Iranian officials reportedly fear that unless sanctions are eased, the country could face another major wave of unrest. That may explain why Tehran has remained at the negotiating table even after recent military clashes with U.S. forces. It may also explain why the regime reportedly delayed publicly announcing casualties from recent strikes in order to avoid derailing ongoing talks. Because right now, Iran appears to be trying to balance two competing realities simultaneously. On one hand, the regime still wants to project strength. It wants to appear defiant. It wants to show both domestic audiences and foreign adversaries that it remains firmly in control.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:12–0:25
2
What internal pressures is Iran facing amidst economic turmoil?
0:25–4:36
3
How has Israel targeted Hamas's leadership in recent strikes?
4:36–6:01
4
What challenges is Ukraine facing in securing ammunition support?
6:01–6:31
5
How is Russia adapting its financial sector for drone defense?
6:31–7:54
6
What implications does Iran's internet blackout have on its economy?
7:54–21:12
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from The President's Daily Brief
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