Overview
- President Donald Trump announced a so-called "D‑Day" economic offensive on Thursday that warned of "terrible" penalties for any country, bank, company or airport that helps Iran and pledged the "most crushing" operation ever mounted.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington will carry out "the largest coordinated operation of economic isolation in the world" and publicly asked China to "get in step" while promising to disclose specific measures on Monday.
- Hours after U.S. officials stepped up pressure, the United Arab Emirates said it had detected two ballistic missiles from Iran and suspended all commercial and financial exchanges with Tehran, a move Iran called economic terrorism.
- Analysts and officials note key uncertainties about how the campaign will work because Iran has built extensive sanction‑evasion networks, China remains a major Iranian trading partner, and details of proposed secondary sanctions have not been released.
- The drive to squeeze Iran risks higher energy prices, disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic rifts with neutral trade partners, so the next signs to watch are Monday’s Treasury briefing and whether Beijing or other major buyers join Washington.