BBC News
· collected 2026-08-20 · by Grace Eliza Goodwin, Peter Hoskins
US President Donald Trump has vowed to launch tougher economic measures against Iran and any country helping it, describing it as a "crushing economic operation ever taken against any country". The move comes after a 60-day ceasefire expired without a diplomatic settlement in the war between the US and Israel. Trump's threat was made on social media platform Truth Social, where he also announced that countries providing financial support to Iran would face "TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences", but did not specify what punishment they might face. The UAE has already severed all financial and economic ties with Iran in response to a new missile threat from the country.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
- Published
Donald Trump has said he will launch tougher economic measures against Iran, as well as any country that helps or does business with it.
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that → publish → it
The US president wrote in all capital letters on Truth Social that he was launching "the most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country", without providing further details or the names of any nation other than Iran.
It comes after a 60-day ceasefire formally expired on Monday without any sign of a diplomatic settlement to the war the US and Israel began at the end of February.
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US → write → February
Tehran said Trump's threat would only bring further animosity.
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threat → say → animosity
If realised, it would extend a campaign of economic pressure on Iran aimed at forcing it into submission.
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it → realise → submission
The US launched a wave of sanctions on foreign banks and firms that do business with Iran in April when it became apparent that military action had not led to the overthrow of the regime in Tehran nor its surrender, as Trump had initially hoped.
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Trump → launch → Tehran
Conversely, since the start of the war, Iran has been able to stem the flow of marine traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, raising energy prices globally.
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Iran → stem → prices
Ahead of the US midterm elections in November, Trump is facing pressure over how much the war is costing American consumers.
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war → face → consumers
The US president wrote on Wednesday evening that he was launching "economic D-Day" on Iran because it had failed to make a deal with the US.
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it → write → US
"ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences," Trump said.
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Trump → allow → Consequences
He did not specify what punishment countries might face.
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countries → specify → punishment
Trump continued: "Oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies - it all needs to stop NOW.
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it → continue → smuggling
You know who you are."
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you → know → ?
It comes a day after the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a US ally, announced it would be severing all financial and economic ties with Iran, following a new missile threat from the country.
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it → come → country
The UAE's defence ministry said it had detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran targeting maritime traffic, both of which landed in the sea.
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both → say → sea
Iranian entities have long used Dubai's financial system to transfer money through exchange houses and shell companies.
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entities → use → houses
Following the UAE's decision, Iran's armed forces warned neighbouring Gulf states against providing support to the US military, saying any assistance would be considered collusion.
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assistance → follow → military
While China was not named in the post, businesses there are the biggest buyers of oil from Iran, a key source of Tehran's funding.
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businesses → name → funding
Since the start of the war, Washington has sanctioned several so-called teapot refineries - privately owned oil processing plants, mostly based in Shandong province, eastern China.
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Washington → sanction → province
At the time, China's Ministry of Commerce said the sanctions were "in violation of international law and the basic norms governing international relations" and ordered that the sanctions "shall not be recognised, enforced or complied with".
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sanctions → say → relations
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Trump's latest post was "a diversion" from America's own economic problems.
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post → say → problems
"Doubling down on failed policies will only bring further defeat - and enmity of Iranians," he wrote on X.
Operation Economic Fury, announced by the US Treasury Department and the Pentagon in April, aimed at degrading Tehran's warfighting capability by cutting off its revenue streams, and also included a naval blockade aimed at stopping Iranian exports.
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he → double → exports
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last week that the US would soon impose economic isolation on Iran "like the world has never seen before".
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world → say → Iran
Trump recently also reportedly threatened to bomb Oman - a US ally - if it "gets in the way" of his administration's own talks with Iran.
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it → threaten → Iran
The US and Oman have been negotiating separately with Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital trade route through which around 20% of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas usually flows.
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% → negotiate → oil
The BBC has contacted the Chinese embassy in Washington, the White House and the US Treasury Department for comment.
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BBC → contact → comment
