The United States has launched an “unprecedented” operation, dubbed Economic Outcast, targeting Iran and countries that provide it with financial support, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced yesterday.

“We are launching an economic offensive against Iran’s financial networks worldwide. The U.S. objective is to sever every economic link sustaining the Iranian regime. America will ‘tighten the noose’ and cut off all possible sources of revenue funding the IRGC. World leaders must choose between the United States and Iran.”

Commentary: Frankly, the statement is so absurd that it is hard to tell who comes across as more ridiculous: Bessent or his boss. Rather than projecting American strength, it exposes American weakness—an inability to achieve its objectives by military means. In effect, this declaration amounts to an admission of precisely that.

As for the claim that “world leaders must choose between the United States and Iran,” most have already made their choice—and many have not chosen the United States.

We all know which country would be the first to tell Washington, publicly and bluntly, exactly where it can go. And there is nothing Trump can do about “Chairman Xi.”

#Yury_Podolyaka