Top Iranian officials mock US 'economic D-Day' on social media

Several top Iranian officials have taken to social media to mock US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's "economic D-Day" of sanctions on Iran, including parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghabilaf and Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei. Ghabilaf made fun of Bessent's apparent slip in Monday's press conference in which he appeared to imply that the sanctions risked collapsing the global economy, saying: "Sir this ain’t Normandy, this is improv night and you forgot your own script." Meanwhile, Baghaei wrote: "Those who prefer to appear ‘as obedient as shadows’ say: ‘This is fine.’ But hold on. It is absolutely not fine." "When a bully declares that every bank, company, port, and government must choose between obeying Washington’s whims or facing American vengeance, this is no longer just about Iran," he added in a post to X. U.S.: “Economic D-Day.” Those who prefer to appear 'as obedient as shadows' say: “This is fine.” But hold on. It is absolutely not fine. When a bully declares that every bank, company, port, and government must choose between obeying Washington’s whims or facing American… pic.twitter.com/PT1myR0w3G — Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) August 25, 2026