USA threatens Iran with unprecedented measures: "Economic isolation never seen before"
The US Treasury Secretary announced that the United States plans to take economic steps against Iran next week that are unprecedented in history. These measures will combine total economic isolation with a continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to prevent any traffic in or out of Iranian ports.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last night (Friday) to the conservative television network Newsmax that the United States is expected to take steps next week against Iran, which he defined as never seen before in the history of economic isolation of a country.
"It will be a combination of economic isolation as the world has never seen before, and the continuation of the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, which will prevent anything from entering or leaving Iranian ports," said Bessent.
This statement comes after a report by the "Wall Street Journal" earlier this week that Donald Trump has adopted a "wait and see" strategy. Under this approach, additional time will be given for financial sanctions and the American naval blockade of Iranian ports to deepen the damage to the Islamic Republic's economy, rather than launching another extensive round of military strikes now.
Behind the change of direction, according to the report, is a persuasion effort within the administration. Donald Trump's aides presented him with data intended to illustrate how much the sanctions already imposed have harmed Iran. Senior officials among his ministers and in the White House recommended that the president further tighten existing restrictions and add new sanctions, based on the assessment that this may be the most effective tool to force the Iranian regime to back down.
American sources emphasized that Donald Trump may still change his mind again, especially in the event of a sharp Iranian response. In the meantime, however, the president chooses to let time, sanctions, and the blockade do the work instead of planes and bombs.
