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Trump has ramped up his rhetoric against Iran, promising an unprecedented package of economic sanctions targeting not just Tehran but any country that helps it. The move builds on years of US pressure aimed at cutting Iran off from global trade and finance, part of a long-running standoff over Iran's nuclear programme and its influence across the Middle East.

The announcement comes at a moment of rising regional tension, with reports of hostile missile strikes and the UAE reportedly cutting diplomatic ties with Iran. That backdrop matters because it suggests Iran's traditional regional relationships, and the countries that might otherwise trade with or support it, are already under strain before any new US measures take effect.

The scale of the sanctions has not yet been fully spelled out, but the significance lies in Washington's stated intent to isolate Iran economically on a scale it has not attempted before, with knock-on consequences for any nation weighing whether to maintain economic ties with Tehran.