Iran Vows Retaliation, Says ‘Fully Prepared’ After Trump Expands Sanctions

Iran has vowed to counter the latest expansion of US economic sanctions, with senior officials warning Washington that Tehran is prepared to respond and insisting that key trading partners will not bow to American pressure.

The warning came after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced new measures aimed at cutting off Iran’s economic lifelines. Under the plan, countries that continue doing business with Tehran could risk losing access to the US dollar-based financial system.

Bessent did not name the countries that could face penalties or specify when the measures would take effect, saying trading partners would be given time to comply. The Treasury Department separately announced sanctions against 60 individuals, entities and vessels. Notably, the list did not include Chinese financial institutions accused of helping facilitate Iran’s oil exports.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf dismissed the latest US threats, saying Washington lacked the economic leverage to further restrict Iran’s relations with other countries.

Ghalibaf also claimed that Tehran’s major trading partners had conveyed that they would not be influenced by the new American measures.

Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh echoed the defiant message, saying Tehran was “fully prepared” for the sanctions. He accused the US of attempting to wage an economic attack against Iran and warned that Tehran had developed its own methods to counter the pressure.

Madanizadeh said China and Russia had not accepted the US measures and predicted that other countries would also resist Washington’s demands.

Iran Warns of Wider Retaliation

Tehran had previously threatened to respond militarily if its infrastructure came under attack. Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi, a spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned that US interests and vital energy routes could face heavy attacks if Iranian infrastructure was targeted.

The threats come as Washington continues searching for ways to pressure Tehran and reduce attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf and Red Sea.

Conflict Remains Unresolved

Nearly six months after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, the conflict remains without a clear diplomatic settlement. Although large-scale strikes have declined in recent weeks, tensions remain high.

The fighting has weakened Iran’s conventional military capabilities and caused significant economic damage. However, Tehran still possesses missile and drone capabilities that could threaten US interests, Gulf countries and commercial shipping near the Strait of Hormuz.

The future of Iran’s nuclear programme also remains unclear, while Washington and Israel continue to seek its further degradation.

With the US tightening economic pressure and Tehran warning of retaliation, the latest sanctions risk opening another front in an already volatile regional conflict.