Iran says it has '2-year' plan to withstand Trump 'Economic D-Day' sanctions

Tehran officials further outlined a temporary agreement Tuesday that would allow ships to transit the Strait of Hormuz through Iranian and Omani territorial waters while barring military vessels.

The move comes as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi signaled that Tehran only wants regional neighbors to take a role in managing security along the waterway.

“Iran’s commitment to peace and stability is matched by steadfast diplomacy with our neighbors. In talks with Pakistani and Omani guests, regional solutions were stressed,” Araghchi said on X.

“Proposed framework for new corridor, joint mine-clearing, and future management of Hormuz is case in point.”

Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who spoke with Iranian state television later Tuesday, said the entry route for the transit corridor will pass directly through Iranian territorial waters, as reported by Iran International.

“Part of the exit route will also be through our territorial waters,” Gharibabadi said.

Gharibabadi clarified that the agreement with Oman does not signify a full opening of the Strait of Hormuz, noting that activating the new, jointly agreed route “means closing the southern route in the strait.”

He added that the arrangement is temporary, with Iran and Oman expected to negotiate a permanent routing framework within 30 to 60 days.

The U.S. military has established and maintained a maritime corridor along the southern channel of the Strait of Hormuz which runs along Oman's coast.

TankerTrackers said at least 15 ship-to-ship transfer operations were taking place in the Gulf of Oman Tuesday involving millions of barrels of crude oil.

“A busy day in the Gulf of Oman, where there are at least fifteen sets of STS transfer sessions taking place,” the maritime intelligence firm said in a post shared on X.

“We count 25 million barrels of crude oil; plus some refined products,” it added before stating that the oil “originates from almost every country in the region, minus Iran," TankerTrackers said.

Washington’s economic pressure campaign against Iran threatens penalties for its trading partners as the U.S. seeks to isolate Tehran from the global economy through Operation Economic Outcast.

Iran exported about $56 billion in goods to at least 112 countries and territories in 2024, according to official customs figures compiled by Trade Data Monitor.

China was its largest export market, receiving $14.58 billion in goods, largely driven by discounted crude oil. Iraq followed with $11.7 billion in gas, electricity, food and manufactured goods.

The UAE received $7.16 billion in Iranian exports, including re-exported goods, before imposing an indefinite trade embargo last week.

Turkey bought $6.1 billion in pipeline gas, petrochemicals and food, while Afghanistan imported $2.3 billion in fuel, food and construction materials, according to reports.

Democrats are looking to make the war in Iran a midterm liability, arguing Republicans who backed the conflict helped drive up gas and fertilizer prices, according to reports.

“Voters want us to lower their costs,” Rep. Pat Ryan, D-N.Y., an Iraq War veteran running for reelection, told the outlet. “We need to not rubber-stamp another reckless war overseas.”

Democratic candidates are also responsible for about two-thirds of campaign ads mentioning gas prices, with the war cited as the cause, Politico said.

Republican strategist Barrett Marson said the war itself is not “front and center with voters,” but its economic effects are “the needle that must be threaded.”

Marson said GOP candidates should stress Iran’s weakened military capabilities, though the message will land better “if gas prices come down over the next two and a half months.”

U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey said Tuesday that Britain will continue working with the U.S. to apply economic pressure on Iran.

“Since taking office, the government has imposed more than 240 sanctions on Iran, whose actions threaten our people and security, and we will continue working alongside the U.S. and other partners to apply economic pressure on Iran,” Healey said in a statement.

“We are determined to prevent the Iranian regime from exploiting the global economy and abusing the U.K. financial system to advance its nuclear programme and wider destabilising activities,” he added, saying the U.K. supports U.S. efforts to “secure a diplomatic solution and welcome efforts to increase pressure, including through Operation Economic Outcast.”

“We will continue to work with partners to protect our interests, take the necessary steps to reopen the Strait and counter Iran’s dangerous activity,” Healey said.

Healey also called on Iran to cease its “destabilising activity across the region” and engage in diplomatic discussions in good faith. 

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei accused the U.S. of using sanctions and economic pressure to force not only Iran but also foreign banks, companies, ports and governments to follow Washington’s policy.

“When a bully declares that every bank, company, port, and government must choose between obeying Washington’s whims or facing American vengeance, this is no longer just about Iran,” Baqaei said Tuesday in a post shared on X.

He said that no decent state that values its sovereignty and national interests will accept the normalization of such “grand lawlessness and systemic bullying.”

Canada is among those already learning that lesson, Baqaei added.

He also shared a “This is fine” meme, saying that those who preferred to appear “as obedient as shadows” might say, “This is fine,” but added: “It is absolutely not fine.”

Tehran will soon reveal the world’s largest underground missile complex, an Iranian military officer and spokesperson claimed Tuesday, before insisting the regime had gained access to its adversaries’ “technology” that improved its own military capabilities.

“In the coming months, we will unveil the largest missile city on the planet,” Ebrahim Zolfaghari, an Iranian military officer and spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said in a post on X.

“Enemy attacks led us to identify and fix our security vulnerabilities,” he claimed, adding that Iran’s adversaries had “handed us new technologies that boosted our military capabilities.” 

The Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters was first sanctioned by the United States on October 25, 2007 while Ali Abdollahi, commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters was sanctioned this month.

Tehran is acknowledging the impact of Washington’s increased economic pressure amid Operation Economic Outcast, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday.

“Iran’s leadership is admitting what the world can now see: the pressure is working,” Bessent said in a post on X.

Bessent cited Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who he said acknowledged Iran’s economic shortages by saying, “The war must come to an end at some point.”

He also cited Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran’s parliament, who Bessent said “was even more direct.”

“No matter how much military power we have, if people are hungry and we don’t have financial circulation, economic growth and domestic production, we will not endure,” Ghalibaf said, according to Bessent.

“Under President Trump, Treasury will continue to sever every economic lifeline sustaining this regime until Tehran stands alone,” Bessent said.

Washington launched “economic D-Day” against Iran Aug. 24, escalating its campaign to cut Tehran off from the global economy while warning foreign governments, banks and businesses that they could face sanctions for continuing to provide the regime with financial and commercial lifelines.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said he had "constructive" talks with his Iranian counterpart about reopening the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.

"Constructive dialogue in Tehran with my colleague Dr. Araghchi. I am hopeful we will soon announce a temporary corridor for the Strait of Hormuz and practical arrangements to restore safe navigation. Future management of the Strait and a permanent solution will follow in due course, as per article 5 of the Islamabad Memorandum," Albusaidi wrote in a post on X.

"Discussions with regional partners will be conducted in support of peace and cooperation, stability and freedom of navigation," he wrote.

President Donald Trump says the reality in Iran is a "humanitarian crisis," with the nation's economy collapsing.

Trump made the statement on Truth Social on Tuesday, claiming many Iranian soldiers are not being paid.

"The failing Islamic Republic of Iran is not paying large segments of their military, while at the same time killing protesters, even when they are not protesting, at levels not seen before. It is a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions, and must be stopped, NOW," Trump wrote.

Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed clashed with Fox News host Jesse Watters over the Iran war Monday night.

Watters asked El-Sayed whether he was "glad" that the U.S. had eliminated former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

El-Sayed said he would “never defend the Iranian regime," but he went on to criticize the war against Iran.

“I understand selective memory about history, but we had a JCPOA that was well negotiated, that actually had nuclear nonproliferation far more securely than we have right now after having gone to war for the better part of six months,” he said, going on to say he was concerned Iran could recover its nuclear program.

Fox News' Trey Yingst reported on Iran's attack on an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday as the U.S. military issued a fresh warning to Tehran.

President Donald Trump says the U.S. Navy has successfully cleared all mines from the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump made the announcement in a post on Truth Social, adding that the U.S. Space Force is watching "every square inch of the strait."

"I have just been informed by the United States Navy that all mines have been removed and/or detonated from within the International Waters of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed," Trump wrote.

"Through Space Force, we are watching every square inch of the Strait, as we are, also, with Pickaxe Mountain and the already destroyed three other Nuclear sites. There is a Zero Tolerance policy on mine placement in full force and effect," he added.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the new U.S. sanctions against Iran on Tuesday.

"China is firmly against sanctions that have no basis in international law or UN Security Council mandate. Economic warfare and maximum pressure provide no solution. They only serve to fuel tensions, disrupt global economic and financial order, and hurt everyone else’s interests. Dialogue and negotiation is the only right way forward," the statement read.

"China’s cooperation with Iran complies with international law. We are closely following the situation and will do everything necessary to protect China’s rights and interests," the statement added.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that countries aiding Iran will be cut out from the U.S. financial system on Monday.

The warning came as part of his announcing "Operation Economic Outcast," which targets Iran and its remaining supporters with huge sanctions.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that military strikes against Iran are still on the table despite the U.S. shift toward an economic offensive against Tehran.

Hegseth made the statement after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent launched "Operation Economic Outcast" on Monday.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo joins "America Reports" on Tuesday to discuss Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent launching "Operation Economic Outcast" against Iran.

Pompeo says Tehran is will lose "significant" funding under the new sanctions.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s Monday announcement that America will impose the economic equivalent of the military campaign that defeated Nazi Germany on the Islamic Republic of Iran could set off a series of events leading to the dissolution of the nearly 47-year-old dictatorship in Tehran, according to Iran experts.

Bessent’s declaration of economic warfare follows President Donald Trump’s commitment last week to launch an "economic D-Day" against the Tehran regime. The comprehensive U.S. economic pressure point campaign targeting Iran’s already troubled economy could have dramatic effects on the restive population in the country of over 90 million people.

"In the Second World War, D-Day marked the historic beginning of a campaign with our allies to target and drive the enemy from its positions, including those in third countries. Today, in that same spirit, we are launching an economic onslaught against Iran's financial connections around the globe," said Bessent. He added that "Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone. Iran's fanatics devote themselves to death to America and seek nuclear weapons to do just that. They have murdered and maimed more of our citizens and service members than any other terrorist regime on Earth."

Just hours before Bessent spoke, Iran’s currency, the rial, plunged to an all-time low. The rial fell to 2.02 million to the U.S. dollar. Iranians are struggling to afford basic goods.

Jonathan Harounoff, an Iran expert and British author of Persian heritage, told Fox News Digital that "Ultimately, this pressure campaign will likely continue to cripple the regime and set the stage for perhaps yet another domestic uprising. The precise timing of such a revolt is impossible to predict."

Harounoff, who has written extensively on upheavals in Iran against the clerical leadership, added, "What isn't impossible to predict is that the regime is governing brutishly over a repressed population that has endured sustained economic and social immiseration. It's only a matter of time before more protests break out, and the real question is whether international organizations like the U.N. and Western governments will choose to stand by — or tangibly support the Iranian people and actively sever any cooperation they maintain with the regime."

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Benjamin Weinthal.

Former Assistant Secretary of State Ret. Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt offered analysis on President Donald Trump’s launch of "Operation Economic Outcast" against Iran on "The Story" Monday.

Iran-linked hackers are suspected of forcing a small British power generator offline for four days last month, the latest sign that Tehran-linked cyber activity may be moving from probing vulnerable systems to causing disruptions U.S. officials have long warned about.

Iran-linked hackers were behind the outage, according to British security officials who spoke with multiple news outlets.

"To be clear: there was no threat to the wider grid and nobody lost power. We have one of the most resilient energy systems in the world," UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks said in a statement.

He described the generator as "tiny" but said his department had briefed CEOs following the intrusion on "steps they should take to stay secure."

The British shutdown came weeks after hackers struck more than 30 community water systems in Minnesota, accessing technology used to remotely monitor and control pumps and other equipment. Minnesota officials have not publicly attributed the attacks. Several news outlets, citing U.S. officials and a leaked industry threat-sharing memo, reported that Iran was the likely culprit. President Donald Trump has publicly rejected that assessment, saying he did not believe Iran was to blame.

Together, the incidents are putting civilian infrastructure at the center of another front in the conflict between the U.S. and Iran. As the military confrontation stretches into its sixth month, relatively small and often lightly defended water and energy facilities offer hackers a way to cause physical disruption without penetrating a major power grid or striking a military target.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Morgan Phillips.

The latest wave of U.S. sanctions against Iran targets the nation's "shadow fleet" that has been used to circumvent sanctions in the past, Fox News' Trey Yingst reported Tuesday.

The Treasury Department sanctioned nearly 60 entities, individuals and vessels in multiple jurisdictions which the U.S. says comprise a "network of shadow fleet vessels."

Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh claims the Tehran regime is "fully prepared" to handle the new sanctions under President Donald Trump's "Economic D-Day" effort.

Madanizadeh predicted in an interview with Iranian state television that the sanctions will end in "another defeat" for the U.S.

"They have done everything they could to test the determination of the Iranian people and the country's officials, but they have failed every time. It seems they wished to suffer yet another defeat," Madanizadeh told state media.

"We've been waiting for these plans for a long time, and the government is and was ready and has a two-year plan to manage these events," he added.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the sanctions on Monday as "the single greatest financial offensive ever."