As the US threatens to 'squash' Iran's economy, hostile rhetoric escalates ahead of new punitive measures.
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The United States is intensifying its threats against Iran, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stating that upcoming sanctions will 'squash' Iran's economy and 'collapse' its regime. The aggressive language comes amid a period of sustained hostile rhetoric between the two nations, according to a report from Reuters.
Bessent also issued a stark ultimatum to international allies, declaring they must decide whether they 'are with us or against us' on the matter of Iran. This follows a warning from former President Donald Trump, who spoke of an impending 'economic D-Day' for the country, per AP News.
However, AP News notes that Tehran is 'well acquainted with sanctions,' suggesting that the impact of further economic pressure may be limited. Iran has a long history of enduring and adapting to such measures imposed by the West.
While international attention focuses on the escalating standoff, Iran's domestic crackdown is gathering pace again. Iran International reports that with regional conflicts quieting, the state's enforcement of mandatory hijab laws has accelerated.
The use of sanctions as a foreign policy tool is not limited to the US-Iran conflict. In a separate move, Ukrainian President Zelensky's latest sanctions package against Moscow's war machine has targeted a Russian children's cartoon, as reported by the Kyiv Independent.
Sources: 1.