President Donald Trump declared on social media Wednesday his intention to launch what he described as “the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY” against Iran. He referred to this as Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented level in a post on Truth Social, without providing many specifics.
He cautioned of economic repercussions for any nation that backed Tehran or extended any form of support to Iran. Trump emphasized that any country permitting its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to aid Iran would face significant Economic Consequences.
In a social media post, Trump did not outline the particular actions Washington would take against such countries, nor did he mention any nation by name. He urged an immediate halt to activities such as oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, and front companies, stating, “You know who you are.”
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The ongoing war has resulted in thousands of casualties, involving various Gulf nations. Iran’s ability to control shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has caused turmoil in global markets, as this waterway traditionally facilitated about a fifth of the world’s oil trade before February.
Despite two ceasefire agreements between the U.S. and Iran in April and June aimed at restoring normal shipping flows through Hormuz and eventually resolving the conflict, both agreements quickly collapsed. Concurrently, Israel mostly disengaged from the conflict it initiated alongside the U.S. in February.
Trump’s threats and announcements on social media are not consistently followed through as stated.
Conflicting reports on U.S.-Iran talks
The United Arab Emirates, which houses a significant U.S. military base, announced on Tuesday the suspension of all trade activities, commercial exchanges, and financial transactions with Iran until further notice. This decision followed the UAE defense ministry’s claim of detecting two missiles launched from Iran that landed in the sea, an assertion dismissed by Iran.
China, accounting for over 80% of Iran’s oil exports based on 2025 data from analytics firm Kpler, poses a challenge for the U.S. to engage in further economic hostilities given China’s status as a major exporter to the U.S., including crucial rare-earth minerals.
Mohammad Mokhber, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, expressed Iran’s willingness to engage in dialogue with the U.S. while emphasizing that negotiations should not be equated with surrender. Mokhber stated that Iran’s determination remains unbroken by military pressure and sanctions, as reported by the semi-official Fars news agency.
Trump contradicted these statements by asserting that no discussions were ongoing with Iran on Tuesday. The day before, Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and special envoy, portrayed a more positive outlook, suggesting that talks with Iran
