Iran-US war latest: Tehran warns of ‘earthquake-like’ retaliation over Trump’s ‘economic D-Day’ threats

# Why This Matters This escalation represents a critical inflection point in US-Iran relations that could destabilize global energy markets and reshape Middle Eastern geopolitics. If Trump reimpose maximum pressure sanctions as threatened, Iran will face severe constraints on oil exports and foreign currency reserves, likely forcing the government toward either capitulation on nuclear negotiations or more aggressive regional proxy actions through militias in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. The Iranian security chief's "earthquake-like" rhetoric signals preparation for asymmetric warfare—cyberattacks on US infrastructure, attacks on American personnel in the region, or strikes on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz—rather than direct military confrontation. The warning to Gulf allies introduces a secondary pressure point that could fracture the fragile Arab-Israeli-US alignment in the region and create openings for Russian and Chinese influence to expand their footprint across the Middle East.