Sanctions and a naval blockade have hammered Iran’s currency, oil exports and household budgets, but Tehran is rationing essentials, subsidizing key imports and shifting costs onto citizens in a bid to keep the state functioning and delay concessions

"We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money," Trump said.

Months into the war, Trump is returning to squeezing Iran's economy rather than military offensive for now.

US bets on economic pain to force Tehran to negotiate over nuclear programme