The United States has intensified its hardline stance against Iran by announcing preparations for a large-scale economic campaign. US President Donald Trump stated his intention to impose severe economic sanctions on Iran, calling it the biggest economic war in history, but official directives have not yet been published. It is also unclear which countries will be affected by these measures.
In parallel, the US is showing activity in several areas, including maritime and space. Trump mentioned a major economic offensive against Iran aimed at cutting off financial flows to Tehran. He also warned countries that provide economic or any other assistance to Iran.
The main question remains open: what will be the actual scale of this campaign, as a new executive order has not yet been issued, and the countries that may become targets of the proposed steps have not been named.
Increased pressure on Iran is also evident through US military actions. According to the US Central Command, 67 commercial vessels were forced to change course during the Iranian blockade before August 20. Three vessels were disabled, and two were inspected.
During the US naval operation, an MV-22B Osprey aircraft was also spotted in the Arabian Sea from the USS Boxer. This ship is participating in the operation to enforce the American blockade of Iran.
Simultaneously with increasing pressure on Iran, the US introduced new restrictions against Hezbollah. American officials cited the organization's ties to the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran. Furthermore, the designation of the organization as a terrorist group was re-applied. The US is also targeting financial networks linked to Hezbollah to stop money flows to the group. Although this action differs from the presumed broad economic pressure on Iran, both moves demonstrate Washington's policy of continuously increasing economic pressure on Tehran.
Amid tensions in the Middle East, the US decided to accelerate the pace of space sector development. Donald Trump signed a new memorandum under which space missions will be elevated to a new level. According to the new goal, the capability to launch and return over 1000 rockets annually should be ready by 2030.
It is not determined which countries, companies, or financial institutions will be affected by Trump's next economic move. This is why the overall picture of the proposed campaign remains unclear. Nevertheless, the US has opened up many fronts to exert pressure on Iran: on one hand, economic impact is being prepared, and on the other, the naval blockade continues. It will only become clear how large this Trump campaign will be after new directives appear in the coming days.