{
  "id": 2225925,
  "title": "US vows ‘toughest sanctions in history’ on Iran as Trump threatens countries providing lifeline",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/us-vows-toughest-sanctions-in-history-on-iran-as-trump-threatens",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-20T21:03:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Arabian Business",
    "slug": "arabian-business",
    "url": "https://www.arabianbusiness.com/politics/us-vows-toughest-sanctions-in-history-on-iran-as-trump-threatens-countries-providing-lifeline"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The United States has vowed to impose the \"toughest sanctions in history\" on Iran, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stating that the economic pressure would work and collapse the Iranian regime. According to Bessent, the US is seeking a \"greatest coordinated economic isolation in the history of the world\" and is urging allies and rivals, including China, to join in.\n\nBessent told CNBC that the US would give more details on the measures during a press conference on Monday. He also stated that China, which gets 50 percent of its energy from inside the Gulf, would benefit from the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and lower energy prices.\n\nIran has branded the US threats as \"economic terrorism\" and said they would fail. The US has been engaged in a war with Iran for nearly six months, and President Donald Trump has promised the \"most crushing\" economic operation ever against Iran.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Iran’s central bank says oil exports have fallen to zero amid war and sanctions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/irans-central-bank-says-oil-exports-have-fallen-to-zero-amid-war-and",
        "published": "2026-08-20T09:22:46.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "US Treasury chief urges China to back proposed Iran sanctions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/us-treasury-chief-urges-china-to-back-proposed-iran-sanctions",
        "published": "2026-08-20T19:36:16.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "Bessent threatens \"toughest sanctions in history\" on Iran",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/bessent-threatens-toughest-sanctions-in-history-on-iran",
        "published": "2026-08-20T22:38:07.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}