Trump warns: any nation that "provides any type of lifeline to Iran" will face U.S. retaliation

President Trump announced Wednesday evening on Truth Social that the U.S. has begun a sweeping economic pressure campaign against Iran, as negotiations continue over reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil-shipping route that has been effectively closed since early March. In his post, Trump warned that nations that help Iran would face severe financial retaliation from Washington, and he named oil smuggling, cash transfers, exchange houses, and front companies among practices that must stop. He called on U.S. allies to join the effort to isolate Iran, framing it as a decisive economic confrontation. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had warned last week that Washington would intensify economic pressure on Tehran over the waterway.