New US sanctions will hit ordinary Iranians hard as crashing economy stirs fresh protests
The U.S. Treasury has announced expanded sanctions against Iran, targeting key sectors like digital assets, technology, and shipping to isolate the regime. Critics argue these measures will disproportionately harm ordinary Iranians who rely on these channels for financial stability and essential goods.
Why it matters
This escalation represents a shift toward economic warfare as a primary tool of U.S. foreign policy, potentially worsening a humanitarian crisis in Iran.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent laid out plans for an “economic D-Day” against Iran on Monday, seeking to further isolate the regime from the rest of the world.
The U.S. will expand its use of secondary sanctions against entities and countries that engage with Iran. Bessent also said any country that helps Iran will be removed from the dollar-based financial system.
In addition, he targeted five of Iran’s “most vital lifelines”: digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping.
But Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder and CEO of the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation think tank, said those are actually lifelines for the Iranian people, not the regime.
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