Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo weighs in on Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s sweeping sanctions campaign targeting Iran’s financial networks. Pompeo underscores the strategic importance of choking off revenue streams funding the Iranian government, asserting that decades of clandestine financial support are nearing an end. The latest measures, dubbed “Operation Economic Outcast,” aim to isolate Iran economically on a global scale by pressuring allies, partners, and third-party facilitators to cut ties with Tehran.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Monday that the United States is unleashing an economic strategy akin to the Allied forces’ decisive actions during World War II, aimed squarely at destabilizing Iran’s regime. The initiative mirrors President Donald Trump’s earlier pledge to initiate an “economic D-Day” against Tehran, leveraging unprecedented sanctions to pressure a population already reeling from hyperinflation and shortages. With over 90 million citizens enduring mounting hardship, experts warn that sustained economic strain could ignite further unrest within the country.
“In wartime, D-Day marked the turning point where we struck at the heart of enemy operations across borders. Today, we apply that same principle to dismantle Iran’s financial footholds worldwide,” Bessent declared at a press briefing. “We will sever every lifeline keeping this regime afloat—until it stands utterly alone.” His statement emphasized Iran’s hostility toward the West, accusing the regime of sponsoring terrorism and advancing nuclear capabilities that threaten regional and global security.
U.S. Warns Nations: Support Iran at Your Own Peril
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks at a news conference, Monday, Aug. 24, 2026, at the Treasury Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Even as officials unveiled the aggressive policy shift, Iran’s national currency continued its freefall—plunging to a record low of 2.02 million rials per U.S. dollar. Citizens struggle daily with soaring prices for basics like bread, fuel, and medicine, intensifying public frustration with a government widely blamed for mismanagement and corruption.
“Ultimately, this sustained pressure will hollow out the regime’s resilience and may well trigger another wave of civil discontent,” said Jonathan Harounoff, a London-based analyst of Iranian affairs. “While predicting the exact timing of such upheaval remains speculative, what’s clear is that the ruling elite govern through force and repression—an approach that grows increasingly untenable amid deepening distress among ordinary Iranians.”
New Intelligence Reveals Surge in Anti-Government Sentiment Across Iran
Iranians gather while blocking a street during a protest in Kermanshah, Iran on Jan. 8, 2026. (Kamran/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
Harounoff cautioned against outsider assumptions about regime collapse being inevitable or simple, emphasizing that meaningful change must originate from within Iran itself. However, he acknowledged external actors can play a pivotal role by bolstering communication tools like satellite internet access, funding independent media, and amplifying grassroots movements. “The path forward requires both vision and solidarity—not just rhetoric—and the West has tools at its disposal to empower rather than merely reprimand,” he added.
Jason Brodsky, Director of Policy at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), highlighted how current efforts differ significantly from previous rounds of containment. “For the first time, economic isolation is synchronized with direct military deterrence—including naval blockades and targeted strikes on key infrastructure,” he explained. “This dual-front approach undermines not only Iran’s ability to fund proxy conflicts abroad but also erodes internal confidence in state institutions.”
Iran Cracks Down Hard as Protests Spread Amid Internet Blackouts
Buses that were burned during Iran’s protests, in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 21, 2026. (Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters)
Brodsky warned that while the regime appears emboldened by geopolitical tensions—particularly surrounding the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz—its own vulnerabilities are widening. “Their defiance masks desperation. With steel production crippled, military readiness compromised, and basic governance faltering, even loyalists are beginning to question whether compliance still serves their interests.”
But not all analysts agree that harsher sanctions will yield the desired outcome. Independent scholar Alireza Nader cautioned that starving ordinary citizens rarely leads to democratic reform. “History shows us that authoritarian regimes often double down in response to external pressure—they don’t fold. The Iranian people paid dearly for past uprisings; many now feel abandoned by promises made but never fulfilled,” he observed. “Trump’s so-called ‘maximum pressure’ doctrine fails to offer viable alternatives for those risking everything for freedom.”
Still, some regional experts point to signs of internal fissures. Beni Sabti, a veteran Iran watcher at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, revealed anecdotal evidence suggesting unrest within Iran’s own ranks. “There are whispers of unpaid salaries among conscripted forces—a red flag indicating systemic dysfunction. When soldiers begin questioning orders, the foundation of control begins to crack.”
Iranians block a street while gathering during a protest in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 9. (MAHSA / Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
Sabti noted that while large-scale demonstrations have yet to resume nationwide, localized dissent continues simmering beneath the surface. “Trump’s rhetoric around accountability—he claims 52,000 killed in recent protests—is inflammatory but also fuels momentum. Whether that translates into broader mobilization depends largely on whether Tehran’s leadership chooses confrontation or concession.”
As tensions mount, Bessent closed his remarks with a pointed appeal to rank-and-file military personnel. “To the foot soldiers defending tyranny, ask yourselves: who benefits when your pay vanishes? Who profits when your families go hungry? Remember how the Berlin Wall fell—not from bombs, but because guards chose humanity over orders.”
Benjamin Weinthal covers developments in the Middle East, focusing on Iran, Syria, and broader regional dynamics. Follow him on Twitter @BenWeinthal or reach him directly via email at benjamin.weinthal@fox.com.
