On August 24 local time, U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent announced new economic sanctions against Iran during a press briefing: "Any entity involved in money laundering for Iran will be removed from the U.S. dollar system," and "The newly issued industry sanctions target five vital lifelines through which Iran leverages other countries: digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping."
The latest round of sanctions announced by U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent can be seen as America's attempt to launch a comprehensive "economic offensive" after military options hit a stalemate, aiming to completely strangle Iran's economy and force it to capitulate through maximum pressure.
The core threat of this round of sanctions lies in the statement: "Any entity involved in money laundering for Iran will be excluded from the U.S. dollar system." Fundamentally, this exploits U.S. dollar hegemony to sever Iran’s ties with the global financial system and compel nations to take sides.
Targeted strikes on five key "lifelines": The new sanctions cover five sectors—digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping—with clear objectives:
Cutting off Iran’s oil exports and settlement channels is central to America’s "economic warfare."
Blocking Iran’s use of cryptocurrencies to bypass traditional finance.
Disrupting access to military and civilian aviation components, weakening its military potential.
Eliminating gray zones: The U.S. no longer tolerates third-party countries conducting business with Iran in the loopholes of sanctions, demanding either compliance or facing expulsion from the dollar system.
Many analyses suggest that the actual effectiveness of these sanctions may be limited. Having endured decades of sanctions, Iran has developed a resilient "resistance economy" system (shadow fleets, foreign exchange networks), and its oil exports have already been effectively blocked at sea—making the new sanctions more like a "coup de grâce."
U.S. own "risks": Domestically, some view this as a high-stakes gamble by the U.S., taken after military efforts failed to meet expectations. However, rising oil prices triggered by conflict are fueling inflation in the U.S., hampering economic growth and potentially affecting midterm elections—risking self-harm.
In short, this sanction round represents the U.S. military’s extreme measures to cut off all escape routes for Iran—but its impact may be diminished. Moreover, the ripple effects of this "financial nuclear bomb" place the U.S. on a tightrope, facing risks of inflation and alienating allies.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1874463386250243/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.