Trump Claims Iran Losing $500M Daily as Iranian Regime Stages Missile Displays Across Cities

22/04/2026

WASHINGTON / TEHRAN, Apr 22: Iran is facing deepening financial pressure, with U.S. President Donald Trump claiming the country is losing up to $500 million per day amid ongoing tensions over the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement on Tuesday, Trump said Tehran is “collapsing financially” and urgently seeking the reopening of the vital oil transit route. He alleged that Iran’s military and police forces are struggling with unpaid salaries, underscoring what he described as a worsening economic crisis. “They are starving for cash,” Trump wrote, suggesting mounting internal strain within the country.

The comments come as regional uncertainty continues to disrupt oil flows and heighten geopolitical risks tied to the Strait, a critical artery for global energy supplies.

Meanwhile, Iranian hardliners staged late-night rallies following the collapse of potential talks with the United States in Islamabad. State television footage showed members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps parading what appeared to be a ballistic missile mounted on a mobile launcher through the streets of Tehran.

Images from the rally showed armed men carrying assault rifles while riding atop the missile platform, which analysts identified as resembling a Qadr-class ballistic missile. Such missiles are capable of deploying cluster-type munitions, which Iran has previously used in regional conflicts.

The simultaneous display of military hardware and reports of economic distress highlight the volatile mix of internal and external pressures facing Iran, as diplomatic efforts remain stalled and tensions with Washington persist.