New US sanctions signal Trump desperation on Iran, experts say

The United States has imposed new sanctions on Iran and numerous global entities, labeling the move "Operation Economic Outcast" in an effort to compel Tehran to negotiate an end to the ongoing conflict. This action follows repeated demands from US President Donald Trump for Iran to cease its nuclear program and address issues like claims over the Strait of Hormuz.

Despite the US military's significant actions, analysts observe minimal impact on Iran after nearly six months of conflict. Crucial military munitions stocks have been depleted, and vital tools for global power projection have been redirected toward Iran. Experts suggest the long-term implications of the war have pushed the Trump administration toward economic sanctions, though they doubt these will force Iran to meet US demands.

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The United States is returning to economic pressure because military force has failed to deliver the quick victory it expected. The ‘economic D-Day’ declaration underscores the war’s failure so far to force Iran’s surrender or achieve Washington’s political objectives.

"The United States is returning to economic pressure because military force has failed to deliver the quick victory it expected," Negar Mortazavi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, told Al Jazeera. "The ‘economic D-Day’ declaration underscores the war’s failure so far to force Iran’s surrender or achieve Washington’s political objectives."

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The US caused a lot of destruction with its munitions, but so too did Iran with its missiles and drones. So it is hard to describe the war to date as anything but a catastrophic mistake.

Ryan Costello, policy director at the National Iranian American Council, noted the stark military mismatch on paper but highlighted Iran's effective retaliation. "The US caused a lot of destruction with its munitions, but so too did Iran with its missiles and drones. So it is hard to describe the war to date as anything but a catastrophic mistake," he told Al Jazeera. Iran has leveraged its geography and arsenal of drones and missiles to strike key oil and gas infrastructure, disrupting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and increasing global petrol prices.

Trita Parsi, head of the Quincy Institute, criticized Trump's initial strategy. "It was a fundamental miscalculation Trump did in the outset that the threat of war will compel the Iranians to surrender," he told Al Jazeera. "Instead they fought back, and they fought back very hard." Experts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies indicate that US supply of missile interceptors is low, potentially requiring three years to replenish, although the White House denies any shortage.

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It was a fundamental miscalculation Trump did in the outset that the threat of war will compel the Iranians to surrender. Instead they fought back, and they fought back very hard.