Before 1979, Iran was governed by the Pahlavi dynasty, who held the authoritative title known as "Shah".
The last ruler of this royal family was Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi whose regime reigned between 1941 and 1979.
The United States had a powerful influence over Iran during Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's reign, especially after helping restore him to absolute power in 1953. During his reign, the U.S provided Iran with billions of dollars in advanced weapons, military training, and funding for over 25 years.
The Shah relied heavily on U.S military backing, bought massive amounts of American weapons, and aligned his foreign policy with Western Cold War interests. During this time too, Iran acted as a vital buffer against the Soviet Union during the Cold War and supplied stable oil to Western nations.
Many Iranians believed that the Shah's regime served American interests over domestic needs, which fueled the 1979 Islamic revolution. This revolution ushered in the rule of the Islamic clerics known as the Ayatollahs.
This regime of clerics adopted a hardline anti-imperialist stance, viewing the United States as the "Great Satan" that sought to undermine Islamic sovereignty.
Under clerical rule, Iran has opposed U.S military presence in the Middle East and supported regional proxy groups, keeping bilateral tensions between the two countries high over decades.
They invested heavily in building their own tech and military capabilities, cutting off dependence on the United States completely.
For their anti-American stance, the Iranians have had a lot to pay since the establishment of the Islamic regime.
For forty seven years now, the Iranians have been subjected to proxy wars, embargos, global isolation, internal security infiltration, assassination of senior political and military leaders and now, a full scale military and economic war from the United States.
The given reason for all this bullying is to deter the Iranians from acquiring a nuclear bomb.
Under the current Trump administration, the U.S together with Israel, launched a joint military campaign against Iran apparently, to militarily stop Iran's nuclear program.
It is now almost seven months into the war and the U.S has suspended military operations against Iran and furiously launched an "unprecedented economic war" against the Islamic Republic.
Unlike the usual sanctions of making international transactions difficicult for the country, the U.S has gone ahead to impose a blockade on Iran's ports, thereby effectively stopping Iran's export of oil.
Yet, the export of oil especially to China has been a blood vessel for the fragile and heavily sanctioned Iranian economy.
Ninety percent of Iran's oil business is done at one of the country's islands, known as the Kharg island.
By imposing a naval blockade on Iran's ports, it means that this island is rendered dormant thereby effectively suffocating Iran's econmy.
Therefore, though Iran shares a wide land boarder with seven countries, it can not ship its oil exports from the island to at least try and export it via land.
The U.S's watchful eye with the help of 20 warships and the mighty Aircraft carriers is always ready to either divert the shipments, capture or even destroy them.
With its wide land boarder, Iran may still be able to import and export any other useful utilities apart from oil. But then, crude oil is their life line.
With its latest round of sanctions against Tehran, the U.S has drawn a line: it's either the U.S or risk being sanctioned too.
Though the Epic Fury has shown the limitations of the U.S military prowess(having failed to help the U.S achieve its goals in Iran), the U.S still holds the global economy wrapped around its finger.
These threats of isolation from the U.S will obviously scare many of its allies that would have wanted to still lend out a hand to the Iranains.
Already, the UAE, a close ally to President Donald Trump, has jumped on to the deck of this punitive embargo on Iran's economy. Using the latest attempted attacks on its territory as a justification, the UAE has suspended all economic dealings with Tehran. It's interesting that this announcement came shortly before president Trump and his secretary of Treasury announced unprecedented sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran.
More countries especially those that border Tehran both by land and sea, are most likely going to jump on deck, in fear of being punished by their American masters.
From the look of things, the country's already frail economy is bound to come crushing face down.
What is it exactly does the US want with Iran?
The long-standing economic blockades, military threats, secondary sanctions, and historical interventions exhibit efforts by Washington to exert dominance, secure regional hegemony, and subvert Iran's sovereignty.
The United States views Iran as a major challenge to its regional security goals and global economic rules.
Furthermore, the U.S can not stand the fact that Iran is living completely outside its docket of economic influence and is surviving. No wonder, they are trying to use the current strife the Iranians are going through to try and exert their influence into Iran's management of its internal affairs.
Recently, U.S energy secretary Chris Wright mentioned how the US intends to help Iran develop its civilian nuclear program, if it abandons its nuclear weapons ambitions.
The Americans after maliciously sanctioning Iran's economy for over forty five years now, are now projecting themselves as the saviours of the Iranians at the same time! U.S vice presidentst JD Vance promised the Iranians of U.S help in helping them to economically thrive again in case they drop their nuclear ambitions.
However, the Iranains have always maintained that their nuclear program is strictly civilian and have always welcomed the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect their nuclear sites.
Many people across the world, including influential global leaders believe that as the case was with Saddam Hussein, accussations of Iran's ambitions of making an atomic bomb are just a pretext to try and fulfill US long term ambitions of extending their hegomony into Iran's boarders.
Otherwise, the Americans under the Trump administration would not have withdrawn from the Obama/JCOPOA agreement, which seemed effective enough in cubbing Iran's nuclear program.
With U.S president Donald Trump's maximum pressure on Iran policy, the U.S now seeks to isolate Iran through strict economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure. This after the military campaign against the country's miserable failed to yield desired results.
The U.S. foreign policy on Iran has shifted toward an aggressive campaign of economic warfare, dubbed an "Economic D-Day", after direct military actions and a U.S. naval blockade failed to force Tehran's surrender.
The Trump administration is preparing to roll out sweeping, severe sanctions targeting any global entities or countries providing a lifeline to Iran.
Following earlier direct military clashes and strikes, the U.S. has pivoted to a strategy of comprehensive economic isolation rather than immediate large-scale kinetic military action.
President Donald Trump warned that any country, business, or financial institution aiding Iran's economy or infrastructure will face heavy penalties and severe economic consequences.
The U.S. military maintains an active blockade targeting Iranian ports to restrict maritime trade and curb oil-related commerce.
But will the U.S get what it is seeking from Tehran?
Rather than capitulate as Trump wishes, Tehran has dismissed the financial pressure as a repeat of failed historical tactics, with security officials warning that supporting new U.S. economic measures will be treated as an act of war.
Iran has threatened a "seismic" and harsh retaliation, warning that any regional or international country that joins the U.S. in enforcing the new economic restrictions will be treated as an "enemy".
Tehran has also signaled it could take steps to disrupt regional energy exports and leverage the Persian Gulf.
Tehran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) possess strong incentives and capabilities to retaliate asymmetrically—such as targeting regional energy infrastructure or constraining oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz—shifting economic pain back onto the West and its allies.
Neighboring Gulf energy producers face heavy exposure to Iranian retaliation and have frequently cautioned Washington against escalating economic or military warfare that jeopardizes regional stability.
The success of total economic isolation also depends heavily on major oil buyers like China complying with U.S. demands, which remains doubtful given broader geopolitical friction.
China has already publicly declared that it will not abide by US rules. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian criticized the U.S. move, calling the restrictions "illegal unilateral sanctions" that may violate international frameworks.
Beijing asserts that its economic cooperation with Iran is conducted within international law and should not be disrupted or undermined by outside powers.
But the Iranians have a reason to worry. Even before the "D-day" starts to seiously bite, they are already suffering with unprecedented inflation of over 87%, as a result of the harsh effects of the ongoing war, the US blockade of their ports and the already existing sanctions.
Furthermore, the Trump administration seems determined to have the regime collapse and is openly calling upon the rest of the world to join it in its latest quest.
Trump's fragile ego can't let him accept defeat. He's determined to fight with his claws in his quest to bring the Iran's hardline regime to an end. This, coupled with his overwhelming success with the conquest of Venezuela's oil reserves. This success has deluded him into thinking that he can achieve something similar in Iran.
However, there is still a glitch in Trump's latest strategy of trying to collapse the regime in Iran.
Past iterations of maximum-pressure campaigns have successfully inflicted heavy civilian and macro-economic hardship, but they have consistently failed to alter core strategic calculations order dislodge the ruling government in Tehran.
While popular resentment over inflation and a plummeting rial is high inside Iran, state security forces retain tight control, channeling public frustration inward rather than forcing a government overthrow. Besides, when too much pressure is exerted on someone, they either capitulate or become even more resistant.
The Iranian leadership seem to develop a harder skin for every ounce of pressure that is exerted on them.
Infact, they believe that they can hang on to war for at least the next two years, until Trump's term elapses. The hardline Iranians don't have a problem with a U.S deal. They have a particular problem with president Trump, who doesn't seem to know what exactly he's seeking with his military aggression against Iran. For the civilians in particular, since all their earlier attempts to overthrow the government have been harshly squashed, it appears as though they have become disillusioned and the further they suffer, the more resigned they become.
Trump's maximum pressure policy has inflicted suffering on the Iranian population to a point where they are now immune. And this is obviously bad news for Trump, who is desperately seeking a regime change in Iran.
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