Iran threatens crushing response to new US sanctions
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Iran's armed forces chief threatened a crushing and destructive response to new US threats on Friday. The warning followed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's announcement of unprecedented economic measures against Tehran. The escalation comes amid renewed tensions over the Strait of Hormuz.
Key Facts
- Iran's armed forces chief Major General Ali Abdollahi threatened a crushing and destructive response to new US threats on Friday.
- US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Washington will implement the toughest sanctions in history against Iran, with details to be presented on Monday.
- Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the US concluded it cannot achieve its goals through direct military confrontation and is now betting on economic pressure.
- The US and Iran twice announced ceasefires in April and June, but both attempts at settlement subsequently collapsed.
Iranian Military Warning
Major General Ali Abdollahi, chief of the general staff of Iran's armed forces, threatened a crushing and destructive response to new US threats on Friday. Abdollahi said Iran's armed forces, with readiness on land, sea, air, air defense, and cyberspace, will respond to new enemy threats with crushing, punitive, and destructive measures. The statement followed US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's announcement of a new package of measures against Iran, with details planned for Monday.
US Sanctions Strategy
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington intends to combine a naval blockade with the toughest sanctions in history to increase pressure on Iran's leadership. Bessent stated the US will collapse the regime and that allies and the rest of the world must choose a side. Bessent linked the intensified economic pressure to an attempt to avoid a new large-scale round of hostilities, saying maximum pressure policy may reduce the likelihood of renewed intense military confrontation.
Regional Reactions
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, visiting neighboring Iraq, said the US concluded it cannot achieve its goals through direct military confrontation and is now betting on economic pressure. Iran's Foreign Ministry previously stated that new American sanctions will not force the country to abandon defense of its sovereignty and national interests. President Masoud Pezeshkian warned of a crushing response in case of a new attack while reiterating support for ending the war. The new sanctions threats come amid ongoing disagreements over the Strait of Hormuz, where the US and Iran twice announced ceasefires in April and June, but both attempts at settlement subsequently collapsed.
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Iran threatens crushing response to new US sanctions
