Iran live updates: Araghchi dismisses Trump's 'economic D-Day' threat

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre on Thursday issued a warning after armed individuals hijacked a tanker in the Gulf of Aden.

A tanker was "boarded by six armed persons who are now in control of the vessel and redirecting to Somalia," the UKMTO said in its alert. The incident occurred about 136 nautical miles east of Al Mukalla, Yemen.

Initially, the ship broadcast a distress call about an authorized vessel approaching the tanker as it traveled west, the UKMTO said.

-ABC News' Othon Leyva

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday responded to President Donald Trump's threat of a "crushing economic operation" against Tehran by suggesting that the U.S. is facing its own economic "crisis."

"The so-called 'Economic D-Day' is a diversion from America's own crisis: unprecedented debt & surging interest costs," Araghchi wrote in a post to X.

"Doubling down on failed policies will only bring further defeat -- and enmity of Iranians. US economic terrorism threatens global economy and sovereignty worldwide," he wrote.

-ABC News' Joe Simonetti

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that his administration is embarking on what he called the "MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY."

Trump made the announcement on his social media platform.

"Today, I am also announcing that ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences," Trump said in the post. "Oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies — It all needs to stop NOW. You know who you are."

The announcement from the president is a ratcheting up of the already intense economic pressure that the U.S. has placed on Iran, including sanctions targeting Iran's oil sales and the naval blockade.

"This will be an ECONOMIC D-DAY, and we need all of our Allies to stand with the United States of America to isolate, and defeat, the Iran threat," Trump said in the post. "These maniacs are on the ropes, and these HISTORIC MEASURES will cripple them and their ability to project terror worldwide."

-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart

President Donald Trump continued to threaten greater economic pressure on Iran, saying that there are more sanctions the U.S. could use to tighten their economic chokehold on the nation.

"Well, we have things that we could sanction. We have very draconian sanctions, and we'll see what happens," Trump said when asked U.S. officials saying they will be announcing measures to put more economic pressure on Iran.

The president then pivoted to say that the Strait of Hormuz is "open" and tout that ships are getting through.

"Right now, the Strait is open. A lot of boats are coming through. People aren't reporting that. And that may slow down a little bit at some point. But right now, a lot of boats are coming through. The naval blockade has been extremely effective," Trump said.

"No boats have gotten into Iran, but they are getting in for other places. But we'll see. We're going to see what happens. It'll either be extremely good and oil prices are going to drop like a rock, or we'll continue to do exactly what we're doing," Trump later added.

The president also noted that the MOU that the U.S. and Iran signed "didn't turn out to be what they said."

"You know, when they tell us one thing and they do another," Trump said.