Tehran [Iran], August 22 (ANI): Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref on Saturday slammed US President Donald Trump's latest economic pressure campaign against Tehran, saying the country's experience shows that economic pressure cannot alter the Iranian people's resolve and instead produces the opposite result.
In a post on X, Aref said the Iranian government would not allow US "economic terrorism" to undermine the country's economic stability and people's livelihoods.
"The government will not allow America's economic terrorism to target the economic stability and livelihoods of the people. The experience of the Islamic Revolution has shown that economic pressure is incapable of altering the will of the Iranian nation and instead yields the opposite result," the post read.
His remarks came after Trump announced what he called an "Economic D-Day" campaign against Iran, describing it as the "most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country."
Trump said the campaign would amount to "Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale" and called on US allies to join Washington in isolating Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Friday also rejected Trump's announcement, describing the latest US pressure campaign as "bound to fail" and arguing that previous US sanctions policies had failed to force Tehran to change course.
In a post on X, Araghchi listed earlier US measures against Iran and said, "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. We have seen this movie before. Same bull. Different bullies."
Araghchi also shared a 2012 post by former US President Barack Obama in which Obama quoted then-Vice President Joe Biden describing US sanctions against Iran as the "most crippling sanctions in the history of sanctions."
Araghchi separately described Trump's "Economic D-Day" announcement as an attempt to divert attention from economic challenges in the United States.
"The so-called 'Economic D-Day' is a diversion from America's own crisis: unprecedented debt & surging interest costs," Araghchi said in another post.
"Doubling down on failed policies will only bring further defeat - and enmity of Iranians. US economic terrorism threatens global economy and sovereignty worldwide," he added.
Trump had said the new measures would target Iran's economic lifelines, including oil smuggling networks, financial transfers, exchange houses, ship registries and front companies.
"Oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies -- It all needs to stop now," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
He also urged US allies to join Washington in the campaign.
"You know who you are. This will be an Economic D-Day, and we need all of our Allies to stand with the United States of America to isolate and defeat the Iran threat," Trump said.
Araghchi also shared reports from CNN and The New York Times concerning US national debt. According to CNN, US federal debt reached USD 40 trillion on Tuesday amid rising interest payments and concerns over the pace of debt accumulation.
CNN, citing US Treasury Department data, reported that US national debt had increased by USD 1 trillion in five months, while the federal government recorded a USD 1.8 trillion deficit during the first 10 months of the current fiscal year.
Trump also said Iran had failed to reach an agreement with Washington despite being given an opportunity to do so.
"No one has given the Islamic Republic of Iran a greater opportunity to make a deal than me. Tragically, for them, they have failed to take it," Trump said.
He reiterated that Iran would not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, stating, "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon."
Trump also said Washington had "very draconian sanctions" available against Iran and indicated that additional measures could follow.
"We have things that we could sanction. We have very draconian sanctions, and we'll see what happens," Trump said while addressing technology leaders.
He said Washington would determine its next course of action based on developments, adding that the situation could either result in a significant fall in oil prices or lead to a continuation of the existing measures.
"It'll either be extremely good, and oil prices are going to drop like a rock or we'll continue to do exactly what we're doing," Trump said.
Iranian officials maintain that previous US sanctions strategies failed to force Iran to alter its course and argue that further economic pressure would produce the opposite effect. (ANI)
Tehran experience shows US economic pressure incapable, yields opposite result: Iran's First VP slams Trump's "Economic D-Day" threat
