Trump Turns To Economic Warfare As Iran Conflict Nears Six Months
Washington is preparing what it calls the toughest sanctions ever imposed on Iran, betting that financial pressure can force Tehran to yield as the war nears its six-month mark and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz keep energy markets on edge.
The Trump administration says a sweeping new sanctions package will be detailed Monday, aimed at choking off Iran’s financial and oil lifelines while reducing the need for further major military operations. Iran has rejected the pressure and warned that any new U.S. threats will bring a devastating response. The confrontation comes as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely restricted and Iranian crude offers to China have fallen.
The economic stakes extend well beyond the battlefield. Brent crude is hovering near $94 a barrel, global stocks are heading toward their steepest weekly decline since mid-July, and long-term U.S. bond yields remain elevated despite Treasury efforts to support the market. Nearly six months into the conflict, Washington is increasingly relying on finance, sanctions and pressure on Iran’s trading partners to achieve objectives that military force has not yet secured.
