Iran vows retaliation against nations backing new US sanctions

Iran has vowed to retaliate against any country cooperating with new US sanctions, which Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called "the single greatest financial offensive ever marshalled against an adversary." The UAE, Iran's top Middle East trading partner, has already announced an end to all trade with Tehran. The effectiveness of the US threat hinges on whether major economies like India, China, and Russia view secondary sanctions as credible reprisals. China has historically been Iran's main oil buyer, and its commerce department previously directed firms to ignore US warnings, though a US naval blockade has now virtually halted Iranian crude exports. Iran's security chief warned of "earthquake-like" retaliation, including threats to close the Strait of Hormuz if Gulf neighbors join the campaign. Tehran's officials dismissed the sanctions as ineffective, while analysts noted no new measures were introduced and the blockade has driven the rial to record lows.