The New Arab:

A correspondent in Iran

In Tehran's first official response to Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election, Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani downplayed its significance, saying, "The election of the US president is irrelevant to us... there is no difference at all between these two people [Donald Trump and Kamala Harris]."

However, the depreciation of Iran's official currency against the US dollar on Wednesday suggest that the election outcome is indeed significant for Iran.

Since the rise of Islamists to power in 1979, the Iranian rial has weakened with each instance of international tension, regional military conflict, or political upheaval. On Wednesday, the exchange rate in the free market reached nearly 700 thousand rials to one US dollar.

In her brief comment on the US election, Mohajerani added, "Over the past four decades, Iran has become resilient to sanctions, and we are not concerned about Trump's re-election. Sanctions have strengthened Iran's internal capabilities, and we are prepared to withstand new sanctions."

The prospect of heightened sanctions and increased international pressure following Trump's re-election weighs heavily on the minds of both ordinary Iranians and experts.

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