US threatens severe sanctions against countries with economic ties to Iran

The United States has launched a campaign to isolate Iran by threatening severe sanctions against any country or entity that maintains economic ties with the country. The aim is to achieve economic measures that military means have not been able to accomplish. However, it remains unclear how far the Trump administration is prepared to go in confronting China, Iran's biggest trading partner.

Iran has vowed retaliation against any country involved in the US-led isolation campaign. The Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, announced the unprecedented campaign, comparing it to the D-day Normandy landings, stating that the objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the Iranian regime until Tehran stands alone.

He emphasized that no one is above the reach of US sanctions and that entities facilitating money laundering on behalf of Iran will be removed from the US dollar system, with deadlines starting immediately. China's embassy in Washington criticized the sanctions, stating that they do not help resolve the issue and calling for responsible actions.

Tehran threatened retaliation using various means, including land, sea, air operations, or cyber-attacks. The move comes nearly six months after the US and Israel launched an attack on Iran, killing its supreme leader Ali Khamenei, which did not lead to the desired outcomes. While there are calls for diplomatic solutions, the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, indicated that further military action remains an option.