Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has hit back at the Trump administration's latest economic pressure campaign against Tehran, drawing a parallel with previous US sanctions efforts that he says failed to achieve their objectives.
Araghchi shared a screenshot on X of a post by former US President Barack Obama from October 2012, in which Obama quoted then-Vice President Joe Biden describing sanctions on Iran as “the most crippling sanctions in the history of sanctions.”
Sharing the post, Araghchi wrote: “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.”
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“We have seen this movie before. Same bull. Different bullies,” he added.
14 years ago: “Most crippling sanctions in history.” Failed.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) August 21, 2026
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
The post comes as the Trump administration prepares what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has described as an unprecedented campaign to isolate Iran economically.
Bessent has warned US allies and other countries, including China, that continuing to support Tehran could carry economic consequences. He described the planned campaign as “the greatest coordinated economic isolation in the history of the world.”
He also said the message to US allies was effectively: “You are either with us or against us.”
“It is time for our allies and the rest of the world to make a decision,” Bessent said. “We are going to squash the economy of this murderous regime.”
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President Donald Trump has separately described the planned measures as an “ECONOMIC D-DAY”. He warned that countries allowing their financial institutions, businesses, airports or government entities to provide “any type of lifeline” to Iran would face “TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences”.
Washington is seeking to restrict Iran's access to exchange houses, cash transfers, swap lines, ship registries, front companies and other channels that it says are being used to support Iranian oil exports.
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