Pezeshkian Calls On Iranians To Ration Electricity, ‘Stand Up’ To US, As Negotiations ‘Stalemated’

Saudi Arabian state-owned outlet Al Hadath is reporting what many might consider obvious: Stalemate in mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran, the source reports Wednesday.

US officials are continuing to tell Tehran that there will be “no progress” in negotiations until there’s progress on the nuclear file and that Hormuz is no longer a priority after Iran “lost control of it”. 

And yet, there’s been possibly a dozen or more Iranian drone attacks on foreign vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz in the last eight days.

All of this comes as President Masoud Pezeshkian has urged the Iranian public to ‘stand up’ against the US and West, as Washington’s sweeping sanctions as well as US naval blockade actions against Iranian ports continue to bite.

“We must not allow the production cycle to be damaged. We will reduce the consumption of electricity, gas, gasoline, water and other energy sectors,” he said to semi-official Fars news agency.

“The condition for resistance and standing up to the West is for everyone to endure hardship,” Pezeshkian added, saying that ”if necessary, cultural and sport complexes will be closed in Iran to provide electricity and energy needed for industrial production” – as the US blockade hammers Iran’s economy.

The rial has cratered, and the fallout has begun to severely impact neighboring Iraq and its Tehran-aligned economy and government, as we previously detailed.

Fars also quoted Pezeshkian as saying Wednesday, “Iran is fully prepared to reach a balanced and fair agreement that ensures lasting peace and security in the region.”

“Our red line is the national interests and rights of the Iranian people. If the United States adheres to international legal frameworks, reaching an agreement is not out of reach,” he added.

There’s also this admission (but which could also be interpreted as pushback) from Iranian state media, in the face of Scott Bessent’s recent assertions that Iran’s crude exports have fallen to near ‘Zero’:

Iranian media is reporting a 60 percent decrease in oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz, saying that the flow of crude oil has faced a significant drop in the last two days, reaching around 3.8 million barrels per day.

The weekly average of oil passing through the Strait is estimated to be about 9.3 million barrels per day, Tasnim news agency said.

The claim comes as an IRGC adviser said that the strait is “fully controlled” by Iran and will remain closed until the US accepts its demands, adding that the volume of oil currently being smuggled out is “very small”.

But ultimately, Iran is admitting it is enduring severe economic hardship amid a heavily sanctioned wartime economy.

There’s a battle of narratives over Hormuz and markets as well as mainstream Western media are simply favoring once side while ignoring the claims of the other at this point:

IRAN WAR ANALYSIS: It is VERY obvious now that the Iranians were simply not TRYING to strike vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks. 13 vessels have now been struck just in the last 8 days, and most importantly of all, many of these vessels have been completely disabled, set ablaze, or blacked out. This is a disaster.

— Brett Erickson (@BrettErickson28) October 6, 2026

The stalemate looks to endure past the November midterm elections in the US, as even President Trump has seemed to lately suggest this status won’t change until after the US vote. He has also signaled a heavy bombing campaign against the Islamic Republic could ensue by November’s end.