카카오뱅크, 자사주 절반 소각 방침…60억원에 그쳐

After the 60-day ceasefire negotiations between the United States and Iran ended without results on the 17th, the U.S. administration led by President Donald Trump is preparing for a more intense round of sanctions against Iran, rather than resorting to military escalation. The strategy involves pressuring China, both through its oil refineries and financial institutions, but the risk of conflict between the U.S. and China, coupled with surging oil prices, has added to the president's dilemma.

Trump has warned that Iran would suffer severe economic consequences, and Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin has announced tough measures that could rival anything seen before. The core of the further sanctions is to tighten the noose on Iran's oil exports, particularly through independent small refineries known as "tea pots."

China is the largest single buyer of Iranian oil, accounting for more than 80% of Iran's seaborne oil exports as of 2025, with many of these purchases passing through China's financial system. To block these transactions, the U.S. Treasury has already targeted Chinese and Hong Kong financial institutions involved in processing Iran's oil revenues, and warned that two major Chinese banks could also be implicated if Iran's funds cross their systems.

The U.S. is also considering additional measures, including targeting Arabian Emirate (UAE) clearing houses to prevent Iran from converting its earnings into other currencies, and pressuring Iran's "ghost oil pipelines" and air logistics networks. However, financial crime expert Bret Eisenstein from consultancy firm ossidian risk advisors warns that the sanctions could inadvertently lead to further evasion by Iran, as it may establish new entities to handle oil revenue transfers.

Moreover, the U.S. faces the challenge of balancing the pressure on Iran with potential negative consequences, such as straining relations with China and triggering a rise in global oil prices.