# Trump weighs Iran sanctions relief as U.S. touts ‘Operation Economic Outcast’ for crashing rial

*Monday, September 28, 2026 at 6:07 PM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk*

**Published**: 2026-09-28T18:07:21.819Z (1h ago)
**Category**: geopolitics | **Region**: Middle East
**Importance**: 9/10
**Sources**: OSINT
**Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/articles/19078.md
**Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries

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**Deck**: Washington is exploring sanctions relief and access to frozen Iranian funds in exchange for “concrete progress” on nuclear issues, even as officials hail Operation Economic Outcast for driving the rial to record lows. Indirect talks via Qatar and Pakistan show some flexibility on both sides but leave major disputes over timing and sequencing unresolved.

U.S. pressure on Iran’s economy is peaking just as Washington signals it may trade some of that leverage for movement on the nuclear file.

President Donald Trump is willing to offer sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian funds in return for “concrete progress” on nuclear issues, a U.S. official told CNN and Israeli journalist Barak Ravid. The discussions are happening indirectly through mediators in Qatar and Pakistan, with both acting as go‑betweens for Washington and Tehran.

At the same time, the administration is publicly stressing that its coercive campaign is working. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Operation Economic Outcast has driven the Iranian rial to record lows. He said the operation aims to “degrade the Iranian regime’s ability to fund terrorism and develop a nuclear weapon,” and portrayed the currency’s collapse as evidence that sanctions are biting.

American officials familiar with the indirect talks describe them as “positive and constructive,” according to U.S. media. They say Iran has shown flexibility on nuclear issues but note that the two sides remain divided over when each would act and which measures come first. The unresolved questions include which sanctions Washington would lift initially, what specific nuclear steps Tehran would take in response, and how quickly any economic benefit would reach Iran.

Reporting on Iran’s stance says Tehran has indicated a readiness to show “flexibility” on its nuclear program. That suggests it is at least considering whether specific constraints or monitoring steps could be exchanged for U.S. moves that ease pressure on oil exports, banking and frozen reserves. There is, however, no public sign of a detailed framework or draft agreement.

For Iranians living under a sinking currency, the stakes are immediate: a weaker rial makes imported food, medicine and other essentials more expensive. For U.S. partners, especially in the Middle East and Europe, the core question is whether any deal would significantly curb Iran’s nuclear capabilities and regional activities or simply inject cash into an already sanctioned economy.

The next meaningful signals will come from the negotiating track and from markets. Any public outline of the order in which sanctions relief and nuclear steps would occur would indicate the talks have moved beyond exploratory messaging. A change in the rial’s slide, or U.S. indications that specific banking or oil sanctions might be paused, would also show whether Washington is preparing to convert economic pressure into a negotiated bargain.