from Tehran Times
As the unprovoked war launched by the United States
and Israel against Iran approaches its six-month mark, Washington is
confronting diminishing weapon stockpiles, a stalled aggression
campaign, and growing domestic political distress ahead of crucial US
midterm elections that will decide control of Congress.
In a
transparent effort to conceal these strategic miscalculations, US
President Donald Trump has turned to bombastic rhetoric, touting a
crushing financial campaign against Tehran and promising an “economic
D-Day” against a nation that has steadfastly resisted nearly five
decades of punishing American blockades. With sparse details, Trump
announced that Washington would impose an “unprecedented” level of
economic warfare and isolation on Iran. The coercive action aims to
force Tehran into caving to illegal demands regarding its peaceful
civilian nuclear program and demanding the complete opening of the
strategic Strait of Hormuz to oil and natural gas tankers.
This escalation reflects the dire political reality facing Trump, who
finds himself entangled in an increasingly unpopular war that he cannot
end. Refusing to learn from the failures of past administrations, the
US president is attempting to refocus American power on forcing Iranian
submission through an accelerated sanctions push against one of the most
economically penalized countries in the world. Laying out the
mechanics of this next phase of hostility during a Thursday interview on
CNBC, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threatened secondary
sanctions against sovereign nations and foreign companies that maintain
lawful commercial ties with Tehran.
Under the framework of "Operation Economic Fury"—which previously
targeted entities purchasing Iranian energy or conducting banking
transactions with Tehran—Bessent issued an explicit ultimatum to global
trading partners, including major buyers such as China and India. “If
you insist on doing business with them, then the US Treasury and US
government will put its full might and force against you,” Bessent
declared arrogantly. “It’s time for our allies and the rest of the world
to make a decision.”
Iranian officials quickly dismantled Washington's posture, exposing
the domestic crises propelling Trump's theatrical announcements...
read more here
