U.S. Threatens Secondary Sanctions on Iran's Trading Partners, Escalating Economic Pressure
The United States has announced a new wave of economic sanctions against Iran and is threatening secondary sanctions on countries that continue to trade with Tehran. This initiative, dubbed 'Operation Economic Outcast,' aims to sever Iran's economic lifelines, particularly targeting its oil revenues. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that countries globally must choose between the U.S. and Iran, warning that those facilitating transactions with Iran will face 'tremendous economic consequences.' This move follows President Trump's earlier declaration of the 'most crushing economic operation' against Iran. The U.S. has a history of employing secondary sanctions, where entities trading with a sanctioned country also face penalties. For instance, the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) of 2017 targeted Iran, Russia, and North Korea, leading to sanctions against China's military and NATO-member Turkey for purchasing Russian defense systems. The current campaign targets at ... 
