Tehran says US President Donald Trump’s “most crushing economic operation ever” against the Islamic Republic is doomed to fail like previous Washington’s pressure campaigns against Tehran over the past 14 years.
In a post on his X account, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traced a series of Washington’s history of failed pressure tactics against Tehran and the descriptions it used for them.
14 years ago: “Most crippling sanctions in history.” Failed.
8 years ago: “Maximum pressure.” Failed.
5 months ago: “Unconditional surrender.” Failed.
Today: “Most crushing economic operation ever.” Bound to fail.
We have seen this movie before. Same bull. Different bullies. pic.twitter.com/CNMSopprV5
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) August 21, 2026
Quoting a tweet by former US president Barack Obama, Araghchi said the United States imposed the “most crippling sanctions in history” 14 years ago, but the measures failed.
Eight years ago, under Trump’s first term, he added, Washington launched its “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran, which also failed.
Five months ago, the United States demanded “unconditional surrender” from Iran, but that effort likewise failed, the top Iranian diplomat asserted, referring to Trump’s demand in the wake of the joint 40-day US-Israeli aggression on Iran in late February.
Araghchi said Washington is now resorting to its latest campaign described as the “most crushing economic operation ever,” which will be “bound to fail”.
“We have seen this movie before. Same bull. Different bullies,” he wrote.
Failed in the military war, Trump desperately resorted to economic pressure on Iran’s economy on Wednesday, threatening “tremendous economic consequences” on any country that helps or does business with Tehran.
“Today, I am announcing the most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country!” Trump boasted on Truth Social. “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.”
In a statement issued on Thursday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned a new round of US economic sanctions against the country, stating that the measures amount to “economic terrorism” and “crimes against humanity.”
“Economic sanctions and pressure are the other side of the same coin as military war and aggression,” the ministry said, stressing that Washington’s reliance on both policies has placed global peace and security at risk.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also warned the United States on Thursday that intensifying “failed” policies against Iran will only lead to further setbacks, as Washington resorts to economic pressure after conceding defeat in its military aggression against the country.
