President Trump on Tuesday, September 1, questioned when the Iranian people would "rise up and fight" while dismissing reports that his administration is attempting to force Tehran into new negotiations. Writing on Truth Social, the president stated he "couldn't care less" if Iran signs what he characterized as a "worthless" agreement, following reports that the U.S. intended to ramp up economic pressure to secure a deal. The comments came as the conflict entered its seventh month.
The exchange follows a period of military and economic escalation. U.S. forces launched strikes on Tuesday against Iranian military targets, including air defense sites and radar systems, in response to previous attacks on U.S. assets in Jordan and shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded early Wednesday, September 2, by firing missiles and drones at U.S. military facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and Iraq. Iran also accused the U.S. of striking a wedding party, resulting in five deaths, though U.S. Central Command stated the strikes targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) assets.
The administration’s internal strategy appears to focus on economic leverage. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business that the U.S. intends to "economically asphyxiate Iran," suggesting the nation's economy could collapse within weeks or months unless its leaders "come to their senses." Bessent has threatened additional sanctions against Iranian banks and institutions doing business with the country. While Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed readiness for talks to end the war, other regime leaders have issued new demands, including the withdrawal of U.S. forces and the release of frozen funds as conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The economic campaign led by the Treasury Department affects the daily lives of millions of Iranians experiencing inflation and a lack of funds to pay government troops. Treasury Secretary Bessent’s strategy of "economic asphyxiation" aims to leverage this internal instability to change Iranian policy. If the Iranian economy reaches the point of collapse as Bessent predicted, it would alter the regional balance of power and potentially lead to the domestic unrest President Trump publicly questioned on Tuesday.
The conflict also involves U.S. bases and personnel in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Iraq. The failure of a previous memorandum of understanding and a collapsed June ceasefire have left regional stability dependent on a pending agreement between the U.S., Iran, and Oman. What happens next depends on whether a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz can be finalized. Despite mediators from Qatar and Pakistan expressing confidence in an announcement, some Iranian officials have rejected concessions, while U.S. officials remain divided on whether to resume major combat operations or continue the current policy of economic pressure.