Iran weekend update: Trump turns the screws as Tehran claims victory Trump opens the economic frontThe Iran war is moving into a new phase as the Trump administration prepares what it calls its toughest economic assault yet on Tehran. Washington is threatening sweeping new sanctions against Iran and warning countries and companies that continue doing business with the regime that they too could face severe consequences. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has vowed to intensify the pressure, with the aim of forcing Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and agree to a deal on American terms. Iran says: bring on the sanctionsTehran is responding with defiance, warning that any new American sanctions will trigger a “devastating” response. Iran has spent decades learning how to evade sanctions and use alternative trading networks, and officials insist Washington will not force the country to surrender. The question now is whether the latest American economic offensive can achieve what years of sanctions have failed to do — break Tehran's resistance. Hormuz becomes the pressure pointThe Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of the confrontation. Shipping has fallen dramatically, with only seven commodity vessels reportedly passing through the waterway on Friday, down sharply from the previous day. Crude oil was trading around $93 a barrel, demonstrating how disruption in one of the world's most important energy corridors is already feeding into global markets. Trump claims Hormuz as “American territory”In an extraordinary escalation of the rhetoric, Trump has described the Strait of Hormuz as “American territory”, insisting that ships cannot pass without US approval. Iran has dismissed the claim as delusional. The strategic waterway normally carries roughly a fifth of the world's seaborne oil, making the confrontation there potentially far more consequential than a dispute over a stretch of water. Iran's economy is taking the punishmentBehind the military and diplomatic rhetoric, ordinary Iranians are increasingly feeling the economic pain. Inflation is forecast to approach 70%, while the economy is contracting and the falling value of the currency is making basic food and other necessities increasingly unaffordable. The Trump administration believes that economic pressure can force Tehran to change course, but Iran has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to survive under sanctions — and there is a danger that further pressure could simply deepen the stalemate. Tehran suddenly talks about ending the warPerhaps the most interesting development is coming from inside Iran itself. President Masoud Pezeshkian has now said it is time to end the war while Iran remains in what he calls a “position of strength and dignity.” That does not sound like an offer to surrender: Pezeshkian insists Iran will not bow to intimidation and portrays Tehran as negotiating from strength. But with the economy under increasing pressure and Washington preparing another sanctions offensive, his call could signal that at least some voices inside Iran believe the time has come to find a way out. The war may therefore be entering its most dangerous phase yet — not necessarily because the bombs are getting bigger, but because both sides are now trying to prove who can withstand the economic pain for longest. AN ORIGINAL CONTENT
