Overview
- The announcement was made Monday by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said the United States will impose secondary sanctions on any company, bank or individual that maintains economic ties with Iran.
- The measures bar banks from processing transactions for Iran or its allies and focus on key sectors that provide revenue or goods to Tehran, including technology, gold, aviation, shipping and digital services.
- The Treasury already added more than 60 people, companies and ships to U.S. sanctions lists as part of the rollout and said Washington is coordinating deadlines and pressure through the State Department, the Treasury and military channels.
- Tehran called the campaign “economic terrorism” and Iran’s military warned it could target energy infrastructure in the Gulf, while Beijing publicly opposed the use of secondary sanctions and warned they would worsen tensions.
- Analysts say the moves could disrupt global supply chains and raise oil-market volatility by cutting Iran off from payment systems and shipping, and they create a diplomatic test as partners such as China must choose whether to comply with U.S. demands.