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Iran's Rulers Survived the War; Now They Must Face Demands of an Angry, Embittered Population
(Reuters) Parisa Hafezi - Iran's rulers have seen off a U.S. military campaign but their real problems may be about to begin: managing the demands of an impoverished, angry people. Iran's hardliners are energized by a three-month confrontation they feel Iran has won. They want to prioritize rearming, confident they can halt any internal dissent with force. Four Iranian officials and one former official described the pressures now facing the Islamic Republic as its population turns from war to survey the ruins of their economy. Three officials said there was a public expectation that any financial relief would be used to boost the economy and improve people's lives. A senior official described Iranians as "weary of war and economic hardship." Iran's economy faces very high inflation, a tumbling currency, widespread unemployment, and massive damage to industry and infrastructure that will be very expensive to fix.