On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi described US President Donald Trump's plan to tighten economic sanctions on Tehran as more "failed policies" that will bring Washington "more defeat," as he put it.
Araqchi said in a post on the
US President Donald Trump announced the "most crushing economic operation ever" against Iran, as part of what he described as an economic war and isolation process on an unprecedented scale.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said: “No one gave Iran a greater opportunity to make a deal than I did, and unfortunately for them and tragically, they failed to seize it.”
Trump warned that no country should allow its financial institutions, companies, airports, or government agencies to provide “any lifeline in any way” to Iran, or it would find itself facing “tremendous economic consequences.”
Trump stressed the need to stop "oil smuggling, barter lines, cash transfers, and using fake companies as a front," saying: "All of this must stop now. You know yourselves," he said.
Trump did not specify the measures that Washington would take against these countries, nor did he mention any country by name.
The American President said: “This is an economic takedown day. We want all our allies to line up alongside the United States of America to isolate and defeat Iran. These lunatics are reeling, and these historic measures will paralyze them and their ability to spread terrorism around the world.”
Trump added: “Their naval fleet is gone, their air force has been destroyed, their military factories are in ruins, their currency is worthless, and their country is on the brink of abyss... Iran will never possess a nuclear weapon.”
This announcement by Trump comes as the war enters its sixth month, with no military resolution or diplomatic breakthrough in sight, while the vital Strait of Hormuz remains practically closed.
With the midterm elections approaching next November, Trump faces domestic criticism regarding the costs of the war on American consumers, as well as in terms of losses in the American army.
In the Strait of Hormuz, navigation traffic on Wednesday did not witness any change from what it was the previous day, and data from the Kepler navigation tracking company showed that 9 cargo ships crossed the strait on Wednesday.
As for the Bab al-Mandab Strait, navigation traffic declined on Wednesday to 27 ships, compared to 32 that crossed the strait on Tuesday, according to Kepler data.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi discussed with Pakistani Army Commander Asem Munir, in a phone call on Wednesday, the latest developments on the diplomatic level between his country and the United States, in addition to strengthening cooperation with Pakistan, according to Araqchi’s channel via Telegram.
This contact comes in light of continuing tensions between the United States and Iran, and two days after the end of the memorandum of understanding brokered by Pakistan between the two sides.
On Monday, August 17, the 60-day deadline, which was specified in the memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington, passed, without the two parties succeeding in converting the temporary understanding into a final agreement.
The Iranian Foreign Minister also spoke by phone, on Wednesday, with his Mauritanian counterpart, Mohamed Salem Ould Marzouk, where he stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation between Islamic countries, especially through the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to support Palestine and confront what he described as “Israel’s conspiracies against the interests of the Islamic world.”
This comes in conjunction with a visit to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, by the Speaker of the Iranian Shura Council, Muhammad Baqir Qalibaf, calling for strengthening what he described as “the new order in the region” and supporting cooperation “without foreign interference.”
On Wednesday, Iran warned the Gulf states against supporting the US military, hours after the United Arab Emirates announced that it would sever its economic relations with Iran.
Despite the calm witnessed in recent days between the United States and Iran, the Strait of Hormuz - which Tehran practically closes - remains a point of tension, and ships trying to cross the vital shipping lane are still subject to attacks.
For his part, US President Donald Trump published a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, describing the Strait of Hormuz as “a new American territory.”
According to reports, in light of the failure of US military operations over months to finally resolve the war, Iran's tone appears defiant in the face of the threats issued by Washington, as the past few days have witnessed the escalation of figures known for extremism to military and security leadership positions, such as Mohsen Rezaei (71 years old) as Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and Hussein Taeb (63 years old) as Commander of the Basij Forces.
Observers believe that these appointments come as preparation for an expected long-term confrontation with the United States.
Iranian military leaders warned of any new comprehensive escalation, which might push it to exceed the limits of its previous strategy - of attacking American military bases, power plants and other infrastructure facilities in the Middle East - and look to longer-term goals.
A report published by the British Financial Times newspaper stated that Iran is considering attacking American military targets in Europe, if Trump escalates military operations to repel Tehran.
The newspaper quoted two informed sources as saying that Iranian forces are in the process of evaluating striking American assets in countries in southeastern Europe, such as Bulgaria, which last month allowed the United States to use its “Bazmor” air base to supply American aircraft with fuel.
Iranian forces are also considering the possibility of targeting submarine fiber optic cables in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the report, which also indicated that Cyprus - which includes a British air base - is also among the bank of potential Iranian targets in an escalation scenario.
