Middle East expert Ross Harrison says US economic pressure will not be enough to force Iran to yield, despite President Donald Trump describing the pressure campaign as “D-Day.” Harrison made the comments in an interview with Al Jazeera published on August 22, 2026. He said Iranian people have already been living through an economic “D-Day” since maximum-pressure sanctions were reimposed after the United States left the 2015 nuclear deal.

Harrison said Trump is using military terminology to describe economic pressure because military action has failed to create conditions that would make Iran surrender. He expressed considerable doubt that the economic campaign can achieve the outcome Trump expects.

According to Harrison, China remains Iran’s most important source of support and could be its largest lifeline. However, he said US action targeting that relationship could carry major risks for Washington, as China also has various forms of leverage against the United States. He noted the possibility of a meeting next month in Washington between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump, saying the central question is whether the US is prepared to damage its relationship with China while increasing pressure on Iran.