Washington (TDI): US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a new campaign aimed at isolating Iran economically, warning that any country or entity providing financial or commercial support to Tehran could face severe consequences.
Trump said the United States was launching an “unprecedented” economic pressure campaign as the conflict with Iran approaches its sixth month, with no clear diplomatic resolution in sight and shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz still significantly disrupted.
“Today, I am announcing the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, describing the campaign as “Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale”.
He warned that countries allowing their financial institutions, businesses, airports or government agencies to provide assistance to Iran would face “TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences”.
Trump did not specify what measures could be imposed and did not name any country other than Iran. He called for an immediate halt to activities including oil smuggling, financial swap arrangements, cash transfers, currency exchange operations, ship registrations and the use of front companies to support Iran.
Read More: Iran War: Is a New Middle East Order Emerging?
The announcement came after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last week that Washington was preparing to intensify efforts to isolate Iran economically. Bessent described the strategy as part of a broader campaign that would combine economic pressure with a US naval blockade.
For months, the US Treasury has also been implementing a sanctions program known as “Operation Economic Fury”, aimed at restricting Iran’s access to international financing and cutting off sources of revenue.
Despite months of US military operations and economic pressure, Iran has maintained a defiant position. The conflict began on February 28 following US and Israeli attacks on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with missile and drone strikes against targets across the region.
US media reports have suggested that the prolonged conflict has placed significant pressure on American weapons and missile stocks, although the Pentagon has rejected those reports.
The fighting has also severely reduced commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, after efforts to establish an agreement for reopening the strategic waterway collapsed. Trump said Wednesday that US military efforts were helping vessels pass through the strait, claiming that “a lot of boats are coming through”.
Read More: Iran Mocks Trump’s Hormuz Claim by Calling California Its ‘New Territory’
Axios reported that US forces had been facilitating the movement of around 15 to 20 vessels through the waterway each night in recent weeks. The traffic was estimated to represent roughly half of the pre-war level of daily oil shipments.
