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Politics162 words1 min read

Iran Shifts Military Policy as US Tightens Economic Sanctions

Toy soldiers on a world map with iranian flag
Photo by Saifee Art on Unsplash
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Listen to the story

Iran is changing its military plan. Before, Iran wanted to defend itself. Now, Iran may want to attack first. This is a big change.

The change comes because of the United States. The US government, led by President Trump, is making sanctions on Iran stronger. Sanctions are rules that stop trade and money between countries.

The US Treasury Secretary said the sanctions will get bigger. More secondary sanctions will start too. Secondary sanctions punish other countries that do business with Iran.

The US wants to start what people call an 'economic D-Day' against Iran. This means very strong economic action, like a big attack but with money instead of weapons.

Iran has warned it might stop all its oil exports. Oil exports are when a country sells its oil to other countries. This is very important money for Iran.

People are worried about how Iran will react. Experts are thinking about different scenarios, or possible situations, that could happen next.

Vocabulary15 words

military
about soldiers, war, and defense
sanctions
rules that stop money or trade with a country
secondary sanctions
punishment for other countries that trade with a sanctioned country
oil exports
selling oil to other countries
scenarios
possible things that could happen
Treasury Secretary
the government person in charge of money
policy
a plan or rule from a government
defend
to protect from attack
attack
to fight against someone first
government
the people who run a country
warn
to tell people about danger
economic
about money and trade
president
the leader of a country
stronger
more powerful
change
to become different

Quiz

1. What is Iran changing?
2. Why is the US increasing pressure on Iran?
3. True or False: Iran has warned it might stop all oil exports.

Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

Iran is changing its _____ plan. Before, Iran wanted to _____ itself. Now, Iran may want to _____ first. This is a big change.

The change comes because of the United States. The US government, led by President Trump, is making _____ on Iran stronger.

The US Treasury Secretary said the sanctions will get bigger. More _____ sanctions will start too.

The US wants to start what people call an '_____ D-Day' against Iran.

Iran has warned it might stop all its oil _____. This is very important money for Iran.

People are worried about how Iran will react. Experts are thinking about different _____ that could happen next.

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