Sooner than expected, next week even, or maybe in two weeks, the world and posters here will be getting an opportunity to witness whether economic suffering will lead to an overthrow of its leaders, by the Iranian people. As direct sanctions plus military force have so far not resulted in Iran showing the white flag, the next genius US move to deliver capitulation is to target countries trading with Iran.
Leading the new strategy is Bessent, who is so integral to the programme's success that he was left behind as bait on AF-1 when Trump fled exited Turkey on a decoy plane via a catering cart.
This is the May 2026 fact sheet on sanctions in place at the time.
https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/05/united-states-sanctions-network-facilitating-irans-illicit-oil-trade/
The US will soon announce what it bills as unprecedented economic measures against Iran, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, intensifying the Trump administration's effort to force Tehran's capitulation through financial pressure.
"Watch this space for more announcements coming next week because we are going to apply measures like have never been seen in the history of economic isolation on a country," Bessent said Thursday in an interview with Newsmax.
Bessent said the move will be part of a "one-two punch" that includes the continued blockade of Iran's ports.
Iran's economy has already taken a significant hit from the war, with much of its industrial capacity destroyed and crude exports severely curtailed by the US blockade. But the country has weathered waves of sanctions, which have failed to force Tehran to bend on its nuclear program or relinquish control over the Strait of Hormuz.
President Donald Trump in recent days has renewed his administration's push for economic pressure on Iran as the US faces a shortfall of necessary munitions and appears wary of expanding its military campaign.
Trump told Axios over the weekend that he is "low-keying it" with Iran. "We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money," he said.
Iran, for its part, has reorganized its military to be more aggressive abroad as talks on ending the war with the US remain in stalemate, a sign that Tehran is preparing for a protracted era of regional conflict.
There is little sign of a breakthrough between Iran and the US over the Strait of Hormuz. Both sides claim control of the waterway, through which one-fifth of the world's oil and gas is shipped, and are demanding concessions that are unlikely to be met.
(Yahoo Finance)