Trump’s latest threats “will only bring further defeat," Iran’s foreign minister says

• Iran’s foreign minister calls Trump’s planned sanctions a “diversion” from the US debt crisis.
• Tehran says the US campaign has failed to achieve its objectives as global oil prices remain elevated.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has rejected US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose “crushing” economic sanctions on Iran, describing the move as a continuation of failed US policies.

“The so-called ‘Economic D-Day’ is a diversion from America’s own crisis: unprecedented debt & surging interest costs,” Araghchi wrote on X.

His remarks came after the US federal debt reached a record $40 trillion on Tuesday, according to the US Treasury Department. The milestone has renewed concerns over the country’s rising debt-servicing costs.

Araghchi accused Washington of pursuing “economic terrorism” and warned that tougher sanctions could have consequences beyond Iran.

“Doubling down on failed policies will only bring further defeat – and enmity of Iranians. US economic terrorism threatens global economy and sovereignty worldwide,” he wrote.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi also criticized the US decision, saying Washington’s calculations were flawed.

“Every time they try to cover up one miscalculation, they end up setting themselves up for an even greater failure,” Gharibabadi wrote on X.

Gharibabadi said the US war against Iran had failed to produce the results Washington sought, arguing that the administration was now labeling another failed policy an “economic war.”

Global oil prices have remained elevated since the US and ‘Israel’ went to war against Iran in February, with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupting a key route for global energy shipments.

The Strait of Hormuz is a major artery for international oil trade, and prolonged disruption has fueled concerns over tighter fuel supplies as global reserves decline.

The latest escalation comes as Washington weighs further economic pressure on Tehran, while Iranian officials continue to reject US demands and warn that additional sanctions could deepen tensions across global energy markets.