How China and Russia could hobble Trump’s plans to isolate Iran
Analysts suggest that US President Donald Trump's efforts to isolate Iran through economic sanctions may be undermined by Iran's strong trade relationships with China and Russia. Experts note that China's willingness to ignore US sanctions and Russia's existing isolation limit the effectiveness of Trump's 'economic D-Day' strategy.
Why it matters
This analysis explores the limitations of unilateral economic power in a multipolar geopolitical landscape.
Iran’s deep trade ties with Beijing and Moscow could prove difficult for the US to disrupt, say analysts.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi [File: Handout/Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service via AP] By Stephen Quillen Published On 20 Aug 2026 20 Aug 2026 United States President Donald Trump has threatened to financially punish any country providing an economic “lifeline” to Iran, as he declared an “economic D-Day” against Tehran.
The threat, six months into the US’s costly conflict with Iran, is Trump’s latest attempt to wield US economic power to achieve his foreign policy objectives, after a series of damaging trade wars earlier in his second term in office.
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