By Desmond Nleya
DUBAI-US President Donald Trump has announced what he described as the United States’ “most crushing” economic operation against Iran after Washington and Tehran failed to reach a new agreement.
Trump warned that countries providing economic support or a lifeline to Iran could face severe financial consequences as part of the new pressure campaign.
Iranian state media rejected Trump’s claims that the country’s economy and military capabilities had been crippled, describing his remarks as psychological warfare and a continuation of Washington’s unsuccessful “maximum pressure” strategy.
Despite the escalation, Trump said the United States could resume negotiations with Tehran at some point. He reiterated that Washington’s main demand is to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the United States of seeking an “honourable exit” from the Middle East while attempting to reshape the region’s political order.
Meanwhile, the conflict in Gaza continued to escalate. Israeli attacks on Gaza City and Nuseirat killed at least 10 Palestinians on Wednesday, including Colonel Fatina al-Sahhar, head of the women’s police department, and several other police officers.
Hamas condemned the attack on the police headquarters as a “new war crime.”
