President Trump declares 'economic D-Day' secondary sanctions campaign against Iran

President Donald Trump announced a crushing economic operation termed 'economic D-Day' against Iran on August 19, 2026, warning of severe secondary sanctions against countries aiding Iran. The United States intensified secondary sanctions targeting digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping sectors, with President Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasizing enforcement against entities assisting Tehran.

Why this matters. Secondary sanctions penalize third-party maritime insurers and digital financial exchanges facilitating Iranian crude transshipments, forcing international counterparties to halt illicit settlement channels.