Iran Deal Deadline Passes as Trump Issues Surrender Demand and Prepares 'Unprecedented' Sanctions

The 60-day deadline for a final U.S.-Iran nuclear

The 60-day deadline for a final U.S.-Iran nuclear agreement expired on Monday without a breakthrough, as President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric against Tehran and his administration signaled a new wave of economic measures. In a phone interview with Fox News, Trump said Iran must "put up the white flag of surrender," adding that he was in no hurry to strike a deal. He also confirmed a direct back channel with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The interim agreement, signed in June, had set a two-month window for final negotiations, but it unraveled amid disputes over the Strait of Hormuz. Trump declared the pact void on July 7, and Tehran later said it was suspended. The expiration now highlights a key test for Trump's strategy: whether economic and maritime pressure can force Tehran to make political concessions without further military escalation. Before the conflict, roughly one-fifth of global oil and LNG passed through the Strait, making the standoff a risk to worldwide energy supplies and U.S. fuel prices.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has promised measures "never seen in the history of economic isolation," while a Treasury spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the campaign, dubbed "Economic Fury," has left Tehran "desperate for cash." The pressure has driven Iran's oil exports down to less than 500,000 barrels per day from 1.8 million before the war, with the IMF projecting a 5.4% economic contraction. Inflation hit 87.9% in July, and food prices soared 128%, according to Iran's Statistical Centre.

Experts say the current approach is more aggressive

Experts say the current approach is more aggressive than past sanctions. Miad Maleki, a former Treasury analyst and senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, described it as "maximum pressure on steroids," combining financial restrictions with a physical blockade. He pointed to Iran's gasoline deficit and weakening government revenues as growing vulnerabilities, noting that a fuel price hike in 2019 sparked nationwide protests that Tehran fears could repeat.

However, Maleki cautioned that economic pain often hits ordinary Iranians before the regime's elite networks, which have spent decades insulating themselves from such pressures. He argued that while the campaign may force tactical concessions, broader changes depend on whether the pain reaches IRGC-linked foundations and oligarchs. Washington is already near its sanctions ceiling, so the next phase may focus on enforcing existing restrictions against Chinese refineries, shadow-fleet tankers, and cryptocurrency channels.

Despite the pressure, no final deal has emerged. A senior Iranian official threatened military escalation within weeks if Washington fails to implement the interim agreement fully. Maleki warned that the worst is still ahead for Tehran, as payment-cycle delays mean the full fiscal impact of reduced oil exports will not be felt until autumn.