Rouhani Puts Tax Squeeze on Iran’s Guards in Power Struggle

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s bid to raise tax revenue to counter the slump in oil prices is pitting him against businesses controlled by his boss: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran’s economy has been limping badly. The U.S.-driven sanctions imposed because of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program have curtailed its oil exports and cut off its banks from global financial networks. A plunge of more than 50 percent in oil prices since June has done further damage, and the International Monetary Fund estimates the economy grew just 1.5 percent in 2014, after contracting 5.6 percent the year before.