Iran is a kind of a kind of revolutionary situation.

This is the most significant challenge that the regime in Iran has faced since it came into existence

after its last revolution in 1979.

Our colleague Jared Moussin covers the Middle East, and he's been following the unrest in Iran for the past two weeks.

There have been enormous protests throughout the country. And he's been following the unrest in Iran for the past two weeks.

There have been enormous protests throughout the country,

and there's been a very severe crackdown in which hundreds, if not thousands,

of people appear to have been killed in the last few days.

And you're seeing a very real risk that the regime could fall out of power.

And everyone is holding their breath to see what's going to happen next. Unlike other flashpoints in the country's history,

the biggest factor in the unraveling situation in Iran today

isn't political instability or demands for more personal freedom.

Instead, the unrest stems mainly from a major financial crisis.

Iran has obviously been under international U.S.-led sanctions for many years, which

means its economy is under severe strain.

That totally isolates Iran, cuts off the banking system from the rest of the world, and

put it in this very unstable situation to begin with.

And the first sign that Iran had reached a turning point

was the failure of a bank.

One of the largest banks in Iran collapsed.

And that was a warning sign that the entire financial system was in crisis.

Welcome to The Journal, our show about money, business, and power.

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