Team Trump moves to asphyxiate the Iranian menace – Latest News
Team Trump fired a highly effective shot throughout Tehran’s bow Monday as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent rolled out “Operation Economic Outcast.”
The final purpose: full “economic asphyxiation of the regime,” per Bessent — i.e., blocking “every potential source of revenue that funds the [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] and the evil Iranian regime” till it cries uncle.
Hear, hear.
For now, President Donald Trump has begun urgent world leaders to halt all financial interactions with Iran, and threatening to lock them out of the “US dollar system” in the event that they refuse.
“Those who tether themselves to Tehran should expect to share in the isolation of a withering regime,” warned Bessent.
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That’s a robust risk, and it’s sure to ratchet up some added financial ache for Iran, which is already in a world of damage.
Meanwhile, Team Trump additionally slapped sanctions on almost 60 entities, people and vessels tied to Iran’s “nuclear and missile technology procurement, cyber operations and oil‐revenue generation networks.”
The risk of sanctions on Iran’s business companions is already exhibiting indicators of success: Last week, its high trading companion, the United Arab Emirates, cut off all its business and financial ties.
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That’s main: The UAE provided 30% of Iran’s imports and took 13% of its non-oil exports.
As Bessent informed The Post, Abu Dhabi’s motion as Washington started to launch Economic Outcast is no coincidence, however “likely causal.”
And simply hours earlier than the Treasury announcement, Iran’s currency hit an all-time low — 2.02 million rials to the greenback.
That comes as inflation (now 100%) and unemployment soar.
And as Iranian oil exports, the regime’s chief source of income, has fallen to close to zero, thanks to the US blockade.
Iran’s army can also be feeling the squeeze: “To the ordinary soldiers supporting this regime,” stated Bessent, “as more and more of your paychecks stop . . . ask whether your commanders are leading your country to triumph or ruin.”
Why solely threaten international locations that commerce with Iran, relatively impose sanctions now?
To give “everyone the opportunity to remedy bad behavior,” Bessent explains: “Why would I want to blow up the global financial system? We believe that it is important to . . . give people a cure period, but they should know that that will move very quickly and that we are serious.”
Of course, some international locations — like China — could resist.
They’ll have to be taught the arduous means, with Trump making good on his warnings and really imposing powerful secondary sanctions.
Even then, Iran’s leaders could strive to maintain out, praying Democrats win the midterms and tie Trump’s palms.
But for now, America’s bought the higher hand, is rapidly tightening it round the Islamic Republic’s throat.
It appears to be like like the best hope but for a lasting decision to this regime’s menace to civilization.
