Operación Paria Económico: así es el plan de EEUU contra Irán que ha puesto en alerta a China

The US has announced a new economic operation against Iran, targeting not only the Islamic Republic but also Hong Kong societies, Chinese companies, and Southeast Asian operators involved in maritime transport, logistics, and technology supply to Tehran. Known as the "Operación Paria Económico," this strategy aims to cut Iran's financial resources across multiple sectors amid escalating US pressure. Key impacts on China and Southeast Asia include:

Hong Kong's role as a commercial support point, with several Hong Kong companies accused of facilitating purchases, payments, and logistics linked to Iran, such as Sweet Ocean, RPT Technology, Tiany Technology, MT Trading, HK Jiatai, and DEC Photonics. Shenzhen, a city in southeast China, is also affected, with firms like Sweet Ocean Technology and Huamei Lianyun International Logistics accused of helping Iran hide beneficiaries and bypass sensitive technology controls.

The US has targeted Iranian crude oil shipments and companies handling the transportation and logistics of such shipments, including Clever Shipping (Hong Kong) for managing the oil tanker Star Pione, Selenium Resources for exporting Iranian petrochemicals, and Lilimoon Navigation for operating the Voyage Elite, which transported millions of barrels of crude oil to China this year.

Other Hong Kong companies like Feili, Feisu, and Guska were sanctioned for transferring funds to Sweet Ocean and facilitating Iran's clandestine payments to avoid the blockade.

Chinese banks and major financial entities are not currently included in the sanctions, although the US has left the door open for future actions. This could include targeting significant financial institutions, potentially including some in China, as suggested by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Chinese officials have rejected the economic war, warning of the need to protect their interests and cooperate with Iran within international law.

China, being the largest importer of Iranian crude oil, typically channels its purchases through intermediaries to avoid sanctions. Beijing has repeatedly condemned US and Israeli attacks on Iran and warned that economic warfare and maximum pressure do not help resolve issues, though it also condemns Iran's retaliatory strikes in the Gulf.