Since the US-Iran conflict began on February 28, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has increasingly used English-language posts on social media platform X to target the American public. In particular, since August, Ghalibaf has employed financial market terminology in several posts to argue that US Treasury Secretary Scott Mnuchin and the Trump administration are unable to contain inflation and economic turmoil caused by the conflict.
Ghalibaf's posts appear to be designed to highlight weaknesses in the US economy and raise doubts about Washington's ability to manage energy prices and financial markets. Observers have noted that Ghalibaf's English-language messages seem to be intended for an American audience, sparking speculation about who may be helping to craft their content. The goal appears to be shifting attention from the costs borne by Iran to those faced by the US.
Ghalibaf has repeatedly argued that the Trump administration has prioritized Israeli interests over those of Americans in its approach to Iran. Many of his posts use simple, direct language to warn of the economic costs of conflict, often incorporating references to popular culture. Some posts, however, appear to be aimed at a more specialized audience, particularly those working in finance such as hedge funds, analysts, and investment banks.
On March 29, Ghalibaf seemed to offer investment advice, claiming that Trump administration's posts on social media often served as a "precedent for profit-taking" and should be treated as a "contrarian indicator." He added: "Do the opposite: if they raise the price, bet on a decline. If they lower it, bet on a rise." The basic message has remained consistent: investors should not trust the administration's ability to manage inflation or volatility caused by disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
On September 3, Ghalibaf attached symbols to a post on X similar to those used in Bloomberg, referring to Omani crude futures, US 10-year Treasury yields, and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. These indicators are closely monitored by analysts when assessing efforts to contain oil prices. After the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates on September 16, Ghalibaf published what he called "Taylor's rule for straits," referring to a equation used by central banks to determine monetary policy.
Since August, many of Ghalibaf's posts have focused on Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, portraying him as ineffective and questioning his credibility. Several posts depicted Mnuchin as a cartoon character, Wile E. Coyote. After Washington unveiled its "economic siege" strategy on August 24, Ghalibaf mocked the initiative, suggesting that Mnuchin had said he did not want to "blow up the global financial system."
The impact of Ghalibaf's messages is uncertain, but they appear to be aimed at undermining Mnuchin's efforts to reassure investors. With the Trump administration indicating it will maintain its economic pressure campaign against Iran, and Tehran facing growing economic challenges, Ghalibaf's posts may be intended to promote the idea that confrontation with Iran imposes significant economic costs on the US economy.
Key points
- Ghalibaf's social media posts aim to target US markets and investors by highlighting weaknesses in the US economy.
- The Iranian Parliament Speaker has used financial market terminology to argue that the US Treasury Secretary and Trump administration are unable to contain inflation and economic turmoil.
- Ghalibaf's messages may be intended to promote the idea that confrontation with Iran imposes significant economic costs on the US economy.
