'Will Face Tremendous Economic Costs If They Help': Trump Warns Iran's Allies

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened "tremendous" punishment on any country that helps or does business with Iran, an economic pressure campaign that comes as the war in the Middle East nears its sixth month.Calling it the "most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country", he also listed several activities that he said need to stop immediately."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. Therefore, today, I am announcing the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY! This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale," he said in a Truth Social post."Today, I am also announcing that ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences. Oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies - It all needs to stop NOW," Trump said without specifying what punishment countries would face.He didn't name any country but said "they know who they are".Before the war broke out in February, China, India, Turkey, Germany, South Korea, and Japan were among Iran's largest trading partners.ALSO READ | UAE Suspends All Trade, Financial Dealings With Iran After Missile Incident"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. These maniacs are on the ropes, and these HISTORIC MEASURES will cripple them and their ability to project terror worldwide. IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON," Trump said.The US Treasury has for months been carrying out 'Operation Economic Fury', aiming to cut off Tehran's funding with targeted sanctions.The war in the Middle East broke out when the US and Israeli forces conducted joint strikes on Iran on February 28, killing a swath of the country's leadership, including the then 86-year-old Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. In response, the Iranian forces attacked American and Israeli assets in the Middle East.Trump Says No Talks Planned With IranDonald Trump had on Tuesday said that no talks were taking place with Iran after a temporary 60-day ceasefire agreement expired on Monday. "There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran," Trump said in a post on Truth Social."The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect. The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated," he added.ALSO READ | Trump's Approval Falls To 33%, Lowest Of His Presidency, As Iran War Drags OnHis remarks came a day after his son-in-law and special envoy Jared Kushner said talks with Iran were still under way and were "probably more robust" than they had ever been. A memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 had set a 60-day time frame for a broader deal on Iran's nuclear programme and US sanctions. The agreement, which declared the "immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts," had quickly unravelled over a dispute about control of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flowed before the war.