Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday night there can be no agreement with Iran’s leadership, describing the regime’s rulers as “savages.” The comments by Netanyahu came as the Trump administration launched a wide-ranging campaign of economic pressure against Iran.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told an event held by Israeli settlers in the West Bank on Wednesday night that he doubted an agreement could be reached with Iran’s leadership. “I doubt an agreement can be reached with that group there, with those savages. I tell you – an agreement cannot be reached,” he said.
His remarks came as the Trump administration’s new campaign to squeeze Iran economically, dubbed “Operation Economic Outcast” by Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, went into full force. Every last dime that Iran normally makes from exporting oil and shipping it around the world, from its banking system to front companies that do business on its behalf around the globe, would be targeted by the unprecedented effort to economically strangle Iran.
During his White House visit in July, Netanyahu urged Trump to “tighten the siege” on Iran. Now, the Israeli PM is reinforcing his previous position, saying that the Iranian leadership must fundamentally change or be strangled economically for good.
The Iranian maritime blacklist of 45 vessels that have allegedly flouted its rules for navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is already having an impact on global shipping. Three major Indian refineries and one global energy major told Reuters on Wednesday that they will no longer use vessels listed on the Iranian maritime black list for crude oil imports, citing security reasons.
Hellbound and Down 