The deadlock in negotiations with Iran has led the Donald Trump administration to explore new ways to unblock a conflict that has already lasted six months and could cost very dearly in the November midterm elections. On Monday, Washington announced an economic stranglehold plan on Iran, named Operation Economic Outcast, which aims to isolate the ayatollahs’ regime from the rest of the world. The new strategy involves imposing new and tough sanctions on countries that refuse to cut their economic ties with Iran, including China, although it did not announce new penalties or set a date for compliance.
“Let there be no ambiguity regarding the United States’ stance,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at a press conference in Washington. “Any kind of economic relationship with this murderous regime will expose those responsible to the full weight of American power.” Bessent made it clear that his position is firm: either they are with them or they should prepare to face economic consequences. “It is time to choose which side you are on”, he said.
From Tehran, they have already indicated that they will not be intimidated by the new threats of sanctions and that they are willing to respond to any kind of aggression. The Iranian Foreign Minister said on Monday that the retaliation will not only be against the United States but also against any country that decides to join this “economic war” against their country.
This includes Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and China, their main trading partner. It remains to be seen how far Trump is willing to take his threat to sanction countries that trade with Iran, especially in the Chinese case and the trade war that could ignite between the two global powers. All this just weeks before the visit to Washington of Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, indicated that Trump is resorting to “methods that have proven ineffective” in the past and that Iran will not hesitate to “use all multilateral capabilities to counter economic sanctions,” adding that it would be ordinary Iranian citizens who would pay the price of the U.S. sanctions. Mohsen Rezaei, a member of the Iranian regime, threatened on Sunday to completely halt oil exports to U.S. allies if economic pressure continues.
This is not the first time the Iranian regime has faced economic sanctions, pressure exerted for years from the West that has resulted in unemployment, soaring inflation, and an economic situation that led to protests in the streets and massacres by Iranian authorities in response. However, the regime has never wavered, remaining unshaken even after the massacre of Ayatollah Khamenei.
