The U.S. Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, announced a new economic offensive against Iran that, he stated, will include ''the toughest sanctions in history'' and aims to increase pressure on the Tehran regime. The strategy is backed by President Donald Trump, who warned that any country providing an economic lifeline to Iran could also face consequences.
Bessent announced that he will hold a press conference on Monday to explain the details of the new measures. In statements, the official described the U.S. strategy as a ''double blow'', combining the existing blockade with a sanctions campaign aimed at significantly weakening the Iranian regime's sources of income.
The Treasury Secretary was emphatic in explaining Washington's goal: to increase economic pressure to provoke a change in the behavior of the Iranian government. Bessent asserted that the measures ''will work in Iran'' and stated that the United States will seek to ''collapse this regime''. He also urged allies and the rest of the international community to decide which side they want to be on in the face of increasing U.S. pressure.
Trump had warned a day earlier that any nation offering ''any kind of lifeline'' to Tehran could suffer economic consequences. The president described the strategy as a ''crushing economic operation'', reinforcing his administration's stance that the Iranian regime should not rely on external resources to sustain its activities.
The U.S. Treasury Secretary announced historic sanctions against the Iranian regime and warned China not to continue supporting its economy
One of the main focuses of the new offensive is China, due to its enormous importance for Iranian oil exports. According to Kpler data for 2025, China buys more than 80% of the oil that Iran exports, while other estimates raise that proportion above 90%. This makes Beijing a fundamental element for the economic survival of the Iranian regime.
Bessent avoided confirming whether Washington will impose new sanctions directly against China, but made it clear that he expects Beijing to cooperate. He recalled that China is considerably dependent on energy from the Persian Gulf and argued that it would be in the Chinese government's interest to join U.S. efforts to facilitate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and reduce international oil prices.
Beijing's stance constitutes one of the main obstacles to the U.S. strategy. Much of Iran's oil reaches independent Chinese refineries, known as ''teapot'', which have limited exposure to the U.S. financial system. This structure has allowed trade to continue despite Washington's sanctions.
China has even taken measures to resist U.S. sanctions. In May, Beijing ordered its companies to ignore certain sanctions against Chinese refineries and resorted to a blocking law passed in 2021 to prevent domestic companies from complying with foreign measures they consider illegitimate.
Currently, China buys about 80% of the oil exported by the Iranian terrorist regime
For Washington, this attitude represents a direct challenge to its efforts to deprive the Iranian regime of the resources necessary to finance its activities. The trade relationship between China and Iran also generates additional tensions due to the U.S. dependence on certain minerals and rare earths from China, essential for technological and defense sectors.
However, Bessent downplayed the immediate impact that the offensive could have on oil markets. The official stated that markets are misinterpreting the extent of economic pressure and argued that a more robust financial strategy could reduce the need to resort to military escalation again.
The offensive comes as the Iranian economy is going through a particularly delicate situation. Decades of sanctions, combined with structural problems and current pressure on its oil exports, have contributed to a sharp depreciation of the currency and inflation that exceeded 60% year-on-year in July. The U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports and access to the Strait of Hormuz has also reduced Tehran's oil revenues.
The Donald Trump administration has shown moderate concern about the effect that the relationship between the communist regime and the Islamic regime has on U.S. demand for minerals and rare earths
The Iranian government, for its part, described the U.S. strategy as ''economic terrorism'' and accused Trump of trying to divert attention from the financial problems in the United States. However, Tehran's statements do not change Washington's central objective: to use U.S. economic power to limit the regime's resources and force it to change its behavior.
China's response will be decisive. As long as Beijing continues to buy large quantities of Iranian oil and allows its companies to evade sanctions, Tehran will retain a vital source of income. Therefore, the Trump administration is increasing pressure on China and making it clear that international cooperation will be a key component of its strategy.
