US President Donald Trump has announced a major new campaign to intensify economic pressure on Iran, threatening “tremendous” consequences against any country that provides financial or other forms of support to the Islamic Republic.
Trump made the announcement on Wednesday, describing the planned measures as the “most crushing economic operation” ever imposed on any country. He said the campaign would amount to economic warfare and isolation on an unprecedented scale.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that countries whose financial institutions, businesses, airports or government entities provide any form of lifeline to Iran would face severe economic consequences. However, he did not specify the nature of the proposed penalties or name any countries that could be affected.
The renewed economic pressure comes as the war involving the United States and Iran approaches its sixth month, with no immediate diplomatic or military resolution in sight. Trump is also facing increasing domestic political scrutiny over the conflict as the November elections draw closer.
The announcement follows comments by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent nearly a week earlier that Washington was preparing to impose a level of economic isolation on Iran “like the world has never seen before.”
Meanwhile, despite a recent reduction in missile strikes, Iran has continued to maintain an effective blockade on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after a proposed US-Iran agreement to reopen the strategic waterway collapsed.
Although both sides have recently indicated that messages were being exchanged, Trump insisted on Tuesday that talks were no longer taking place. He also made a social media post suggesting that the Strait of Hormuz could become a “new US territory,” further raising tensions between the two countries.
The latest development signals a further escalation in Washington’s campaign against Tehran as uncertainty continues over the possibility of renewed negotiations and an end to the prolonged conflict.
