Trump wants more economic pressure on Iran. What are his options?

US President Donald Trump has vowed to increase economic pressure on Iran. According to the Treasury Secretary, measures to be imposed on Tehran have "never been seen" before and could start as soon as next week. The US, along with the United Nations and European Union, has already applied sanctions, implemented trade embargoes, and frozen assets.

The US administration is exploring various options to target Iran's economy, including measures targeting oil and Chinese banks, as reported by The Times of Israel. There is also mention of a potential land blockade on Iran's borders. Furthermore, one of Washington's goals is to ensure the free flow of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial energy corridor.

The US objectives in its conflict with Iran have evolved over time. Initially, the administration had ambitious goals, including Iran's complete surrender, regime change, and dismantling its military capabilities. However, these goals have since been scaled back. Vice-President JD Vance has stated that the current goals are to ensure Gulf countries can send oil and gas to the world economy, according to Gulf News.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Times of Israel, Daily Times, Al-Monitor, Gulf News — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.