Iran, cropped

Iran (MNN) — The tentative deal between the United States and Iran is set to be formally signed Friday, June 19. But one thing is sure: the economic fallout of the war won’t disappear anytime soon, either at gas pumps around the world or within the economy of Iran itself. 

The pressures aren’t due only to the past three-and-a-half months of conflict, or even the past year since the 12-day war in June 2025 between Iran and Israel and the United States.

“For all these years [since 1979], the regime has not been putting the funds back into the economy, back into the infrastructure, back into the water resources of the country,” says Denise Godwin with International Media Ministries (IMM). 

“Therefore, as even worse economic conditions have come into their circumstances, all the things that weren’t cared for all these nearly 50 years are crumbling even [more so]. It’s pretty incredible if you look at how Iran looked and behaved in the 1970s and what it is today.”

Economists and regime-affiliated research institutions have warned of a “poverty explosion” within Iran. Soon, there could be more than 40 million people below the poverty line.

“When you take away the analytical side, it’s not economics. It’s human beings who are trying to live, trying to have jobs, trying to feed their children,” says Godwin.

Even as the Iranian regime continues to express defiance and immovability toward the West, citizens within Iran stand against the regime. The resistance group called the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran has reported that on June 12 it launched a “widespread, highly coordinated anti-repression campaign across Iran.”

Clip from Esther: Queen of Hope (Courtesy of IMM)

“The protests have not stopped. People are trying to choose their times wisely, from what I’ve heard,” says Godwin. 

Into the struggle and uncertainty, Godwin says the first episode of IMM’s limited film series on the biblical story of Esther is almost ready. It will soon reach Iranian audiences in Europe as a test group.

“Please pray over that, that the pieces would come together, that we find the right locations and the right people to be with,” says Godwin. The film project is intended to reach Iranians with the true story of the Persian people’s history with Jews. 

“Esther’s story parallels so much of what is happening [today], where individuals are having to sacrifice to bring truth and freedom and release from bondage or death, even to Iran right now,” says Godwin. “Islamic rulers managed to eliminate, or perhaps you could say disguise history, and so a lot of people don’t understand the whole story [of Esther].”

Ask God to show His mighty hand in Iran. Pray for believers to stay courageous in their witness. 

“We hope that the evil being put upon the Iranians, the starvation, the abuse, the lack of religious freedom, the lack of any freedom would be cast down, and that liberty would be brought there, and the hope of the gospel would be brought there,” says Godwin. 

 

Header photo: Tehran Province, Tehran (Stock photo courtesy of Rayhane Saber via Unsplash)