The U.S. Treasury plans to broaden the scope of secondary sanctions targeting entities and countries that maintain commercial links with Iran, escalating economic pressure on Tehran amid ongoing regional conflicts.
The initiative, part of an intensified campaign by the Trump administration, aims to disrupt Iran’s energy export channels, including those passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been constrained by the six-month conflict. The move is designed as a final warning to global partners to sever business ties with Iran or face exclusion from the dollar-based financial system.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is scheduled to outline further details at a press conference on Monday at 1 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT), where he will also provide a broader overview of the administration’s economic pressure strategy against Iran. The campaign has been described by Bessent and President Donald Trump as an 'economic D-Day,' signaling a decisive phase in Washington’s efforts to curb Tehran’s regional influence.
The announcement follows a series of U.S. actions targeting Iran’s oil and gas sector, including prior rounds of secondary sanctions that penalized foreign firms facilitating trade with Iranian entities. The expanded measures are expected to widen the net of prohibited transactions, potentially affecting a broader range of industries and jurisdictions.
A source familiar with the plans, speaking on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization to discuss the matter publicly, confirmed the Treasury’s intentions.
