Iran promises to resist interference by foreign 'enemies' as Trump threatens new sanctions

Iran promises to resist interference by foreign 'enemies' as Trump threatens new sanctions Submitted by MEE staff on Fri, 08/21/2026 - 11:11 US Treasury vows 'toughest sanctions in history' in hopes of collapsing Islamic Republic Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf gives a press conference at an event marking 40 days since the burial of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Karbala, Iraq, on 20 August 2026 (Karar Jabbar/AFP) Off Iran’s parliament speaker said efforts by "enemies" to drive Iran and Iraq apart will instead deepen their relationship, as Trump threatened "tremendous" costs for those working with the Islamic Republic. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf told an Arbaeen ceremony in the city of Karbala on Thursday that history, geography and shared religious beliefs bound the countries together. “We were two nations that refused to become a footnote in others’ narratives and did not allow our destiny to be written in western capitals,” he said.