Iran warns gulf states against joining Trump’s economic war, or else
This is in response to US President Donald Trump’s warnings of ‘Economic D-Day’ for the Islamic Republic
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US PRESIDENT Donald Trump has warned that “Economic D-Day” is coming for Iran. This weekend, Teheran promised to fight back, threatening any nation that helps the US.
Iran’s new security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, vowed on Saturday (Aug 22) to strike the interests of oil-rich neighbours if they joined US efforts to further isolate Iran, whose economy is already in free fall.
He warned that Teheran would seek to prevent “even a single drop of oil” from leaving the region.
“Any country that becomes a partner in creating economic restrictions against us will be regarded by us as an enemy,” he said in an interview with Iran’s state broadcaster.
Razaei is a political hard-liner and former head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
The interview offered his first extensive comments since taking up his post two weeks ago – and struck an aggressive tone in line with Iran’s increasingly uncompromising regional strategy.
At one point, he asked whether Iran should pursue building a nuclear bomb, which Teheran has previously insisted it had no intention of doing.
Iran’s new leaders, who replaced comparatively more cautious figures killed by the US and Israeli bombardment in 2026, are “changing the deterrence equation from purely defensive measures to an offensive approach in all spheres” including the economy, said Mohammad Ghaderi, a Teheran-based foreign affairs expert.
“Teheran is seeking to impose greater costs on the United States and its allies,” Ghaderi said. “This conveys the message that the cost of continuing hostility towards Iran will have far more extensive consequences for Washington and its allies than in the past.”
Though active military hostilities have ebbed, Iran and the US remain locked in an economic standoff.
Trump, who imposed a naval blockade of Iran, has now threatened “tremendous economic consequences” on any nation doing business with Teheran.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to announce the US economic plan against Iran on Monday.
Iran’s moderate president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said on Sunday that Iran was in a “full-scale economic, military and security war”, adding that his government was trying to find ways to counter the growing economic pressures.
“We have stood firm and are trying to be servants of the people in the face of this unequal war,” Pezeshkian said in a speech. THE NEW YORK TIMES
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