U.S. economic pressure on Iran has reached unprecedented levels in recent decades. However, inconsistent enforcement has hindered the full impact of these sanctions, as noted by a former Treasury sanctions expert.

Miad Maleki, who was instrumental in the Treasury Department’s sanctions campaigns against Iran and its network of proxy groups, shared in an interview that the current situation represents a unique convergence of economic, political, and diplomatic leverage against Tehran.

“We’ve never had the level of leverage that we have today with Iran in the history of our conflict… since 1979,” Maleki stated.

This evaluation comes in light of President Donald Trump’s recent remarks, where he indicated an increase in pressure. On Truth Social, he declared that the United States exercises “total control over the Strait of Hormuz” and that it remains “sealed up tight” until Iran consents to a deal.

Maleki believes this moment signifies a critical juncture, as multiple pressure tools are being applied concurrently for the first time in years. The strategy now directly targets Iran’s oil exports and the networks facilitating their movement, thereby increasing the risk of a swift economic squeeze.

He said Iran may run out of oil storage in as little as two to three weeks, forcing production cuts, while gasoline shortages could hit on a similar timeline due to heavy reliance on imports. Combined with an estimated $435 million in daily economic losses, the pressure could spill into the financial system, leaving the regime struggling to pay salaries and raising the risk of renewed unrest.

An oil tanker is seen near the terminal at Kharg Island, Iran, as U.S. officials and analysts consider whether seizing the island could significantly impact Iran’s oil exports. (Ali Mohammadi/Bloomberg)

Maleki said the real leverage lies in sustained economic pressure and enforcement.

At the core of that pressure is an Iranian economy he describes as “on the verge of collapse,” driven by years of sanctions and compounded by recent disruptions.

He pointed to triple-digit food inflation, a sharply devalued currency and a roughly 90% collapse in purchasing power, along with potential long-term oil revenue losses of up to $14 billion annually.

Maleki, who is currently a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, estimated that current conditions are costing Iran “about $435 million a day in combined economic damage … with the blockade and closure of the Strait of Hormuz.”

A key driver of that pressure is the Strait of Hormuz, long viewed as one of Iran’s primary tools of leverage in global energy markets. Maleki said the dynamic has shifted.

President Donald Trump weighs a potential attack on Iran’s oil hub at Kharg Island amid expert predictions of market chaos. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto)

“Iran’s economy relies on the Strait of Hormuz more than any other economy,” he said, calling its closure a form of “economic self-sabotage.”

While countries in Asia — including Japan, South Korea, India and China — are most exposed to disruptions, many have built up reserves. “Japan’s oil reserve is pretty significant. Same with China,” Maleki said.

Still, the region remains heavily dependent on the waterway, with roughly 75% of liquefied natural gas supplies for countries including India, China and South Korea flowing through the strait.

Inside Iran, however, vulnerabilities are more immediate. Despite vast oil reserves, the country imports between 30 million to 60 million liters of gasoline per day to cover a domestic shortfall of up to 35 million liters.

“If they run out of gasoline… they’re going to have a major crisis domestically,” Maleki said, noting that past shortages and price hikes have triggered widespread protests.

The economic pressure is being reinforced by a U.S. naval blockade targeting Iran’s oil exports, the regime’s primary source of revenue.

A billboard showing a portrait of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes, looms over an empty square in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP Photo)

A senior administration official said the Treasury Department is intensifying enforcement under what it describes as an “Economic Fury” campaign, using financial and maritime tools in tandem to squeeze Iran’s revenue streams.

The official said the strategy focuses on “systematically degrading Iran’s ability to generate, move, and repatriate funds,” including by constraining maritime trade through the naval blockade, which targets Iran’s primary source of revenue from oil exports.

Financial pressure is also expanding globally. The official said Treasury has warned banks in China, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and Oman that facilitating Iranian trade could expose them to secondary sanctions, signaling a more aggressive approach to enforcement beyond Iran’s borders.

Treasury has issued sanctions on more than 1,000 targets since 2025 under the current maximum pressure campaign, the official said, aimed at disrupting Iran’s oil trade and financial networks.

The official added that Iran is facing immediate logistical constraints, warning that storage capacity at Kharg Island — the country’s main oil export terminal — could be filled within days if exports remain blocked, potentially forcing production shut-ins.

“Treasury will continue to freeze the funds stolen by the corrupt leadership on behalf of the people of Iran,” the official warned.

A new analysis from United Against Nuclear Iran said the blockade is already deterring high-value shipments, even as some Iran-linked vessels continue to transit the region.

Iran seized two oil tankers Thursday while former Iranian minister Ezzatollah Zarghami threatened to make the Strait of Hormuz a “massacre and hell” for U.S. forces. (Giuseppe Cacace/AFP)

“Effectiveness should not be measured by the total number of Iran-linked vessels at sea,” the group said in an April 22 statement. “But by whether the U.S. is disrupting high-value Iranian oil exports… and deterring large-scale illicit shipments.”

At least 29 vessels have been turned around or forced back to port, including several very large crude carriers, according to the report.

The blockade, announced April 12 and enforced by U.S. Central Command, is designed to cut off Iranian crude exports, particularly shipments to China, while prioritizing high-impact targets.

While sanctions are clearly biting, Maleki said their impact has been limited by inconsistent enforcement across successive U.S. administrations.

U.S. sanctions on Iran have been in place in various forms for years, targeting the country’s oil exports, banking sector and access to global financial systems.

Under the Obama administration, sanctions pressure was partially lifted under the nuclear deal. The first Trump administration reimposed “maximum pressure,” but enforcement ramped up gradually and lasted only a limited period. The Biden administration later eased enforcement in pursuit of diplomacy.

He argued that cycles of tightening and relief — including sanctions rollback under the Iran nuclear deal and pauses in enforcement — have allowed Tehran to adapt.

“What’s different now,” Maleki said, is the combination of sustained sanctions with real-time enforcement measures that directly restrict Iran’s ability to export oil — a step that was largely absent in earlier phases.

To maximize pressure, Maleki said Washington must sustain enforcement, particularly through secondary sanctions targeting foreign banks and companies facilitating Iranian trade.

Crucially, he downplayed the likelihood that outside powers could offset the pressure.

Anti-regime protests engulf the streets of Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 6, 2025. (Reuters)

“I can’t really point to any other nation… that is going to jump in and give the Iranian regime a lifeline,” he said.

“At some point in the next few weeks to a few months, they’re going to face not just gasoline shortages and oil production disruptions, but also a major banking problem to pay salaries of government employees and IRGC personnel,” he said. “Iranians run out of patience again, as they did before, and they’re back on the street. I’m not quite sure if you’re going to have unpaid IRGC forces willing to go back on the street and kill their fellow Iranians who have the same grievances that they have now, which is a collapsed economy.”

Recently, a video featuring Dianna Russini interviewing Mike Vrabel about his wife has gained renewed attention, surfacing in light of the ongoing controversy surrounding their rumored affair.

The speculation began earlier this month when Page Six released provocative images showing Russini and Vrabel in seemingly intimate moments—hugging, laughing, and relaxing by a pool at a luxurious $2,500-a-night retreat in Sedona, Arizona. These images quickly led to rumors of an affair.

Both Russini and Vrabel, who are married with children, were quick to dismiss the affair allegations. They explained that their presence at the resort was part of a larger gathering and not an intimate getaway as suggested.

However, the situation took a more serious turn when New England Patriots head coach Vrabel issued a heartfelt apology to his family. He expressed remorse over the scandal, committing to self-improvement and agreeing to seek counseling, which he plans to begin this weekend.

As the drama surrounding their Arizona retreat continues to unfold, fans have unearthed the interview clip from August last year, where Russini engages Vrabel in a conversation about his wife, Jen.

‘Your wife, Jen, is a superb athlete,’ the sports reporter initially says in the clip, which has gone viral on social media.

Footage of Dianna Russini quizzing Mike Vrabel about his wife has resurfaced on social media

‘I would say used to be,’ Vrabel interjects about Jen.

Russini then continues: ‘Maybe used to be, but she’s still got it in her, I’m sure… the way you do. So which sport do you think Jen could beat you at now?’

‘Ping pong,’ the New England Patriots coach reveals. ‘I get too aggressive.’

‘Yeah, I can see that,’ Russini concludes.

Vrabel has been married to Jen for over two decades and shares two sons with his long-time wife. Russini also has two sons with her husband Kevin Goldschmidt, whom she tied the knot with in 2020.

Despite continuing to deny the claims on her way out, Russini resigned from her job at The Athletic last week over the scandal. Vrabel, meanwhile, appears to have escaped punishment from both New England and the NFL.

The downcast coach apologized to his family just moments before the NFL Draft started on Thursday night, saying: ‘I understand that there are questions, but I take accountability for my actions and the actions that caused a distraction to the people that I care most about, my family, this football team, the organization and our fans.

‘My previous actions don’t meet the standard that I hold myself to. They don’t. What I believe is best for the two most important things in my life, my family and this football team, is for us to take the necessary steps to work together and to give them what I told them I’d give them, which the best version of me, and that’s what we’re going to do.

Vrabel has been accused of having an affair with the sports reporter over the past 

Vrabel has been married to wife Jen for over two decades and shares two children with her

Russini also shares two children with husband Kevin Goldschmidt, whom she married in 2020

‘That’s going to start, that has started, and that’ll continue this weekend and it’ll continue for however long it takes for me to give them and to complete that promise of giving them the best version of me possible.

‘My priorities are my family and this football team – and in that order – and there’s a balance there that I am going to create. My family needs me this weekend and that’s where I’ll be.’

Other than describing Page Six’s story as ‘laughable’ in an initial brief statement, Vrabel had been silent on the matter until ostensibly making himself accountable to the public at Tuesday’s press conference.

Asked about his initial ‘laughable’ comment, he admitted: ‘I think that was, you know, always an attempt to protect your family and I would never be dismissive.

‘But I think my family and this football team are the most important thing, and that’s that’s what I plan to do, and I’m excited about the challenge with both of those things.’

He told reporters at the Patriots’ return to practice earlier this week he’d had ‘difficult conversations with people I care about – with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players’ in the wake of the scandal.

Vrabel and Russini have both denied any wrongdoing while insisting the photos of them hugging and hanging poolside are misleading. 

Vrabel issued a groveling apology to his family just before the NFL Draft began on Thursday

Russini resigned from her position at The Athletic last week amid the ongoing Vrabel scandal

Russini was ultimately placed on leave and investigated by The Athletic’s parent company, The New York Times, only to resign from her position last week.

In their own statement on Thursday night, the Patriots said: ‘We fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being. Mike has been open with us about his commitment to being the best version of himself for his family, this team and our fans, and we respect the steps he is taking to follow through on that commitment.

‘We are confident in the leadership and communication Mike has established with our personnel staff throughout this pre-draft process. 

‘While he will not be present at the facility on Saturday, we know the draft evaluations are complete and Eliot Wolf and his personnel staff are prepared to execute our draft as planned this weekend.’

PITTSBURGH — In a surprising move that sent shockwaves through the NFL, the Los Angeles Rams selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick on Thursday night.

Despite knowing that Simpson might not take the field until 2028, the Rams chose to focus on the future rather than their immediate Super Bowl aspirations.

The decision sparked a range of reactions, from frustrated outbursts among fans to bemused laughter from skeptics, as the Rams anticipated.

Nevertheless, this unexpected choice was a strategic one for the Rams.

By prioritizing long-term potential over immediate needs, they have positioned themselves to sustain their success over a longer period, rather than confining themselves to short-term goals.

The great organizations are always thinking three days, three weeks, three months, and three years down the line. It’s how they create sustained success rather than fleeting.

If Simpson is who they think he is — and there isn’t a chance in hell they select him at No. 13 without being convinced he has a chance to be special — he will eventually take the reins from Stafford, and whatever fall off the Rams experience will be subtle rather than dramatic.

That isn’t a bad thing; it’s a great thing. It’s a testament to the team GM Les Snead and Sean McVay have built over the years.

Knowing that, it allowed them to be creative and proactive in addressing the most important position on the field, and potentially ensuring that when Stafford eventually calls it a career, the Rams won’t fall off the cliff.

A lot of variables will play into that, not the least of which is Simpson maximizing his talent and McVay and his staff getting him to his ceiling. But there was no guarantee ther Rams would be in position to select a quarterback with that time of potential any time soon, and with a roster as stacked as any in the NFL, now was the time to take advantage of that opportunity.

This would have been a different story had the Rams not shored up their only real weakness during the opening days of free agency. But by using the second of their two first-round picks to trade for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, and then signing his Chiefs cornerback teammate, Jaylen Watson, the Rams pushed an already great roster to an elite one.

In doing so, they gave themselves tremendous flexibility to think long-term at No. 13.

As stacked as the Rams roster is, there was no guarantee whoever they selected at that point of the draft would have made a big impact in 2025. That prospect, no matter what the name or the position, would have had to fight and claw just to get on the field.

Make no mistake, LA did so with the complete understanding that their decision would be panned, criticized, and picked apart in every newsroom, on every social media platform, and in every barbershop from Pittsburgh to the Pacific Ocean.

From their own fans to their most ardent haters, the Rams knew the selection of Simpson would be met with everything from angry screams to sarcastic belly laughs.

When your Super Bowl window is as wide open as the Rams’ is right now, the goal should be to maximize it in every way imaginable.

Simpson does not do that. It isn’t even up for debate. At the earliest, he won’t make an impact until next season.

Of course, the emotional reaction would range from shock to outrage.

All of which is understandable.

Bottom line, the Rams used the first round of the 2026 draft to turn their cornerback weakness into a strength, and lock in a quarterback they believe capable to helping them get to Super Bowls.

And by the way, they still have more picks to execute this weekend. And Snead and McVay have shown over and over and over that they can find high-end talent well beyond just the first round.