U.S. vows ‘economic asphyxiation’ of Iran with new set of sanctions
The U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced plans to tighten secondary sanctions on Iran’s digital assets and sectors including technology, gold, aviation, and shipping.
GS2GS3The HinduGS2U.S.-Iran sanctionsSecondary sanctions (extraterritorial)Financial/economic coercion in international relations
What happened
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced plans to tighten secondary sanctions against Iran, describing the objective as economically isolating the Iranian regime. U.S. officials also warned that countries that do not cooperate with the sanctions effort would face “isolation.”
U.S. Treasury said the expanded secondary sanctions would target Iran’s digital assets and key sectors including technology, gold, aviation, and shipping.
The U.S. president is described as contacting world leaders to discourage interaction with Tehran.
Background and earlier position
The sanctions announcement is set in an environment of war stalemate and stalled peace efforts, along with reduced passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a major regional chokepoint for energy and shipping. In this setting, U.S. sanctions pressure is positioned as part of a broader attempt to restrict Iran’s economic space.
