Iran's president and heads of three branches of government meet on cost-of-living pressure

TEHRAN, Iran — President Masoud Pezeshkian met with the heads of Iran's parliament and judiciary on Saturday to coordinate action on the country's cost-of-living crisis, the Iranian presidency said. The meeting also covered international developments and economic management, according to the statement. The three branch leaders agreed that institutional coordination should be strengthened to bring the cost-of-living burden under control, the presidency said. The statement underlined the shared commitment of the parliament, judiciary and executive to that effort. The meeting came as relations between Tehran and Washington are caught in a new upward spiral. Dialogue between the two sides has stalled, mutual accusations have intensified and military rhetoric has resurfaced. The parties remain at odds over the Strait of Hormuz and maritime navigation, with each side tying any possible de-escalation to its own conditions. The standoff has slowed diplomatic efforts and added to broader regional tensions, according to the presidency's readout.