The Independent World
· collected 2026-08-21 · by Shweta Sharma and Maira Butt
Iran has accused US president Donald Trump of threatening "economic terrorism" after the US treasury said it would introduce the “toughest sanctions in history" against Tehran.
asserted
it → accuse → Tehran
Trump has promised to wage "Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale”, suggesting the US will extend sanctions to allies that have helped mediate peace talks.
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that → promise → talks
"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 wrote.
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Trump → allow → Consequences
US treasury secretary Scott Bessent also made a similar warning, calling on allies to pick a side.
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Bessent → make → side
"We are going to collapse this regime.
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We → go → regime
It is time for our allies and the rest of the world to make a decision," Bessent told broadcaster CNBC.
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Bessent → make → CNBC
"You are either with us or against us," he said.
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he → say → us
Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that further sanctions would only bring “further defeat” to the US and said Trump was seeking to create a “diversion from America’s own crisis: unprecedented debt and surging interest costs”.
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Trump → say → crisis
Meanwhile, over 750 members of the US military have been injured since the Iran war began, US officials said.
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officials → injure → military
More than 50 soldiers were added to the Pentagon’s casualty database on Wednesday, bringing the total figures to 757 injured and 18 killed.
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soldiers → add → 757
Iran threatens 'devastating response' to US following new threats
Tehran has vowed to deliver a “crushing” response to the US amid threats of economic sanctions.
“With preparedness across land, sea, air, air defence and cyberspace, Iran's armed forces will respond to the enemy's new threats with crushing, punishing and devastating responses,” chief of staff of Iran;s armed forces, Major General Ali Abdollahi was quoted as saying by Iranian media.
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Abdollahi → threaten → media
The maps and charts that debunk Trump’s claim the route has reopened
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has effectively slowed to a halt again despite President Donald Trump claiming the route is open, according to new data.
uncertain
route → debunk → data
On Tuesday, the US leader declared the vital waterway “new US territory” in a bizarre post on Truth Social accompanied by a map.
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waterway → declare → map
“The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect,” he continued on the platform.
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he → remain → platform
“The Hormuz Strait is open and operating.
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Strait → operate → ?
All water mines have been removed or detonated.”
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mines → remove → ?
US Army to shut down unit in Europe focused on drone warfare in latest shakeup
A drone warfare US Army unit in Europe has been told to return to being a traditional infantry battalion.
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unit → shut → Europe
For more nearly a year, soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade have been experimenting and building their own drones, as well as participating in drills on waging unmanned warfare after Ukraine pioneered such tactics in its yearslong conflict with Russia.
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Ukraine → experiment → Russia
In November, 600 soldiers formed a battalion that specialised in drone warfare and was set up to be used as a dedicated unit that could deploy anywhere drones were required.
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drones → form → unit
Iranian oil offers to Chinese buyers fall as US blockade bites, sources say
Offers to Chinese buyers of Iranian crude have declined and prices have risen this week as a US blockade continues to cut off Tehran’s shipments and the threat of sanctions from Washington
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blockade → fall → Washington
, trade sources told Reuters.
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sources → tell → Reuters
The number of offers for Iranian oil cargoes to China for September and October delivery has declined from July and August cargoes, four trade sources familiar with the matter said.
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sources → decline → matter
The offers have declined as barrels already in ships on the water have been sold, they said.
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they → decline → water
The US reimposed its blockade of Iran’s shipping and ports on 13 July.
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US → reimpose → July
Tehran has condemned the threat of sanctions as “economic terrorism”.
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Tehran → condemn → terrorism
US treasury secretary vows 'toughest sanctions in history'
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secretary → vow → history
US treasury secretary Scott Bessent has vowed the “toughest sanctions in history” against Iran as the war with the country enters its sixth month.
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war → vow → month
We have the blockade [on Iran], and we are going to have the toughest sanctions in history,” he told CNBC on Thursday.
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he → have → Thursday
“It is going to work in Iran, and we are going to collapse this regime.”
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we → go → regime
Trump threatens to crush Iran with ‘Economic D Day’ - but he is running out of cards to play
Donald Trump has issued another economic threat against Iran, vowing “TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences” for any country that trades with Tehran.
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that → threaten → Tehran
In a rant on Truth Social, he wrote: “This will be an ECONOMIC D-DAY, and we need all of our Allies to stand with the United States of America to isolate, and defeat, the Iran threat.”
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all → write → threat
Tehran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that the threats would only bring Trump “further defeat” as he struggles to find an exit strategy from an unpopular war.
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he → say → war
I’m a legal expert.
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I → ’m → ?
Here’s why Gaza peace deals keep unravelling
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deals → ’ → ?
Donald Trump’s Board of Peace published a 15-point roadmap for Gaza in late July in which Hamas would hand its weapons to a committee of Palestinian technocrats, certified by an international verification body, and Israel would withdraw from the strip in phases.
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Israel → publish → phases
After Israel officially rejected the plan on August 9, US envoy Jared Kushner flew to the Egyptian coast to meet Hamas representatives.
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Kushner → reject → representatives
From there, he travelled to Jerusalem where it was proposed the weapons would instead be handed over under the supervision of an American general.
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weapons → travel → general
This change to the disarmament process is a clear illustration of what has gone wrong with each agreement reached over Gaza since January 2025: none have established, in advance, who certifies compliance.
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who → go → compliance
The University of Edinburgh’s Peace Agreement Database and Dataset recorded four agreements related to the Gaza ceasefire process in 2025.
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Database → record → 2025
They include a ceasefire agreement in January, a run of ceasefire and related agreements in October and a UN resolution in November.
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They → include → November
…and 16 more, not listed.
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