US and Iran Trade Threats Ahead of New Sanctions as Hormuz Traffic Collapses
US-Iran tensions escalate as new sanctions loom, oil traffic through Hormuz plummets, and both sides signal resolve.
The United States and Iran are locked in a war of words ahead of Monday's expected announcement of new American sanctions, which could target Tehran's key trading partners, including China. The measures, described by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as "the toughest sanctions in history," are set to be unveiled at a press conference in Washington.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, dismissed the planned sanctions as an illegal assertion of authority, stating that such secondary sanctions have no basis in international law. Beijing, which purchases over 80% of Iran's shipped oil, has called for diplomatic engagement.
Meanwhile, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has nearly ground to a halt. Ship-tracking data shows only four commodity vessels transited the waterway on Thursday, with no large crude or LNG carriers. The US military reports moving an average of 8 million barrels of oil per day through the strait, a sharp drop from the pre-war figure of over 20 million barrels daily.
Iranian leaders are projecting confidence while acknowledging the severe economic toll of the conflict. Major General Ali Abdollahi, chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, promised "crushing" responses to any threats. However, President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for a diplomatic solution, suggesting it would be better to end the war while Iran retains its dignity.
Parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who leads mediated talks with the US, conceded that military strength alone cannot sustain the nation if its people face hunger and economic stagnation. The war, now nearly six months old, has resulted in thousands of casualties, including 168 Iranian schoolchildren on the first day of hostilities, and has left US objectives like dismantling Iran's nuclear programme unfulfilled.