‘Economic D-Day’ for Iran: US Treasury Chief Bessent Signals Escalating Pressure on Tehran

US Prepares ‘Economic D-Day’ Against Iran as Tehran Warns of Oil Export Shutdown

The Trump administration is gearing up for a major economic offensive against Iran, with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warning that Washington is entering the “endgame” of its campaign against Tehran. In a post on X on Sunday, Bessent described the planned measures as an “economic D-Day” and said the United States would use its financial powers to target the economic lifelines supporting the Iranian government.

He said President Donald Trump had already weakened Iran’s military capabilities and targeted its nuclear programme, creating the conditions for Washington to deploy a broader range of economic measures. Bessent said the US objective was to cut off the financial channels sustaining the Iranian regime and warned that the era of treating American enforcement as negotiable was over.

Iran Threatens to Halt Gulf Oil Exports

Iran responded by warning that it could stop oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz and other parts of the Persian Gulf if Washington continues what Tehran calls an “economic war.” Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said that if the economic campaign continued, Iran would prevent oil from being exported through the Strait or elsewhere in the Gulf.

He also warned that any country supporting or participating in the US campaign could be considered by Iran to be committing an “act of war.”

Tehran Hits Back at US Sanctions Threat

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf mocked Washington’s sanctions plans in a post on X, suggesting that aggressive economic restrictions could ultimately have unintended consequences. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei also criticised the US approach, saying sanctions and conflict were not new to Iran and noting that the country had lived under sanctions for around two decades.

Trump Pushes ‘Economic D-Day’

Trump had announced the planned campaign earlier, describing it as the most crushing economic operation ever imposed against a country and calling on US allies to join efforts to isolate Iran. He said Washington had access to “very draconian sanctions” and would decide its next moves depending on developments.

The latest exchange highlights the sharp escalation in economic pressure between Washington and Tehran, with the US threatening a sweeping financial campaign and Iran warning that continued pressure could put Gulf oil supplies at risk.