Get Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has dismissed the latest economic sanctions announced by the United States, insisting that Washington will not achieve its objectives through increased economic pressure on Tehran.
Pezeshkian made the remarks on Wednesday, according to Iran’s ISNA news agency, as tensions between the two countries continued to escalate over sanctions and the ongoing dispute surrounding the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
“With the measures that the government’s economic sectors have foreseen, America will not achieve anything with economic pressure at this stage, just as it was unable to achieve anything in the war,” Pezeshkian said.
His comments followed a fresh warning from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who on Monday outlined plans aimed at imposing what he described as the “economic asphyxiation” of Iran.
Bessent also warned countries and entities that fail to comply with Washington’s measures of possible consequences as the United States intensifies its economic campaign against Tehran.
Iranian authorities, however, have rejected the expected impact of the sanctions, pointing to the country’s decades-long experience with restrictive economic measures imposed by the United States and its allies.
Pezeshkian acknowledged that Iran preferred resolving disputes through dialogue but said the country would not surrender to economic pressure.
“Our principle is understanding and resolving issues through interaction and negotiation, but at the same time, we will stand firm against economic pressures, as we have done so far and will continue to do,” he said.
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The latest confrontation comes as diplomatic efforts between Iran and the United States remain stalled, with both sides locked in a dispute over the status and control of the Strait of Hormuz.
The waterway is one of the world’s most important energy corridors, normally carrying about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports.
Traffic through the strait has reportedly remained largely paralysed, contributing to disruptions in global energy markets and raising concerns over the wider economic consequences of the confrontation.
Iran has maintained control over the waterway since the outbreak of the war on February 28 and has sought to impose fees on vessels seeking to transit the strategic passage.
The United States has rejected the move and is demanding a return to the previous system of unrestricted navigation through the strait.
US President Donald Trump has claimed that Washington now has “total control” over the waterway, further intensifying the rhetoric between the two countries.
The dispute over Hormuz has added another layer to the longstanding tensions between Tehran and Washington, which have persisted for decades and have been reinforced by successive rounds of US sanctions against Iran.
Despite the mounting pressure, Pezeshkian said Iran remained prepared to pursue negotiations while maintaining its position against what it considers attempts to force the country into submission through economic measures.
The latest developments are being closely watched internationally because any prolonged disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz could have significant consequences for global oil supplies, energy prices and international trade.