The Trump administration is ramping up economic sanctions on Iran through "Operation Economic Outcast," while also threatening dire secondary sanctions against countries that continue Iran-related business.The new policy puts countries like India and other close U.S.partners in an awkward situation.New Delhi remains a critical U.S.
partner in the Indo-Pacific, but it also has commercial, energy and strategic interests in Iran that it won't likely discard, potentially putting it at odds with the Trump administration.TRUMP THREATENS 'UNPRECEDENTED' ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES FOR ANY NATION AIDING IRANIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) holds a bilateral meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (R) on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31, 2026. (Press Information Bureau (PIB)/Anadolu via Getty Images))On Monday, exactly a week after the Trump administration launched its new sanctions campaign, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan.It was their first meeting since the war broke out six months ago.According to an Iranian readout, Pezeshkian asked Modi "to use India’s extensive contacts" to help steer the involved parties away from war and back toward dialogue, while thanking Modi for standing by Tehran.
Modi reiterated that New Delhi wants to strengthen its "long-standing friendship" with Tehran and "expand and diversify" the two countries’ trade basket."That was for Modi to signal to a domestic audience that he is not kowtowing to Trump," Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow Sadanand Dhume told Fox News Digital."India-Iran relations have already been largely hollowed out by previous rounds of sanctions, so there is no question of India trying to balance between the U.S.
and Iran," he added.Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked by Fox News' Brian Kilmeade on "...