Nearly six months after American and Israeli airstrikes opened a war that has claimed thousands of lives — among them 168 Iranian schoolchildren on the first day — the United States is preparing to extend its reach far beyond the battlefield. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set to announce what the administration calls the toughest sanctions in history against Iran, a measure aimed as much at Beijing as at Tehran, since China absorbs more than 80 percent of Iran's seaborne oil exports. The Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil once flowed freely, has been reduced to a
US prepares 'toughest sanctions in history' against Iran, pressuring China and global oil markets
The conflict has killed thousands of people, mainly in Iran, including 168 Iranian schoolchildren on the first day; the US reports 18 military personnel killed and over 750 wounded.
The confrontation now risks extending well beyond Iran and the United States
Mark
Why does China matter so much in this story? They're not even a party to the conflict.
Mimi
Because they're Iran's lifeline. Eighty percent of Iran's oil exports go by sea to China. Cut that off, and Iran's economy collapses faster. But if the US succeeds in forcing China to comply, it's a demonstration of American economic power that reverberates everywhere.
Mark
And if China refuses?
Mimi
Then you have a direct confrontation between Washington and Beijing over Iran. The sanctions become a test of who has more leverage—American financial reach or China's willingness to absorb economic pain for a strategic relationship.
Mark
What about the oil market? Why is that so fragile right now?
Mimi
The Strait of Hormuz normally moves a fifth of the world's oil. Right now almost nothing is moving through it. The US military is managing to push eight million barrels a day through, but that's less than half normal. Every barrel that doesn't move is upward pressure on prices everywhere.
Mark
So Americans pay more at the pump because of this?
Mimi
Yes. And so does everyone else. It's not just an Iran problem anymore—it's a global energy problem.
Mark
Why would Iran agree to negotiate if they're still defiant?
Mimi
Because the costs are becoming unbearable. Their economy is battered, their military is damaged, and now they're facing sanctions that could strangle what's left. Pezeshkian's comment about ending the war while Iran can still claim dignity—that's a signal they're looking for an off-ramp.
Mark
But Trump hasn't achieved what he wanted. How does this end?
Mimi
That's the open question. Either Iran capitulates and accepts terms it finds humiliating, or the conflict drags on and the economic damage spreads globally. There's no obvious middle ground yet.
O Pulso
- The Strait of Hormuz has effectively stopped functioning as a global energy corridor — only four commercial ships crossed on Thursday, none of them large crude or LNG carriers, sending oil prices climbing and threatening supply chains worldwide.
- Washington is preparing sanctions explicitly designed to punish Iran's trading partners, placing China — which handles over 80% of Iran's seaborne oil exports — at the center of a confrontation it did not start and cannot easily exit.
- Iran's leadership is publicly defiant, warning neighboring countries against cooperating with the American economic campaign and threatening to treat any such cooperation as an act of enmity.
- Beneath the defiance, Iran's President Pezeshkian has quietly signaled openness to a negotiated exit, suggesting Tehran would prefer to end the war while it can still claim dignity — a crack in the rhetoric that diplomats are watching closely.
- The war's original objectives — dismantling Iran's nuclear program and triggering regime change — remain unmet, UN inspectors have been locked out since 2025, and no clear path to resolution has emerged after nearly six months of fighting.
Nearly six months after American and Israeli airstrikes opened a war that has claimed thousands of lives — among them 168 Iranian schoolchildren on the first day — the United States is preparing to extend its reach far beyond the battlefield. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set to announce what the administration calls the toughest sanctions in history against Iran, a measure aimed as much at Beijing as at Tehran, since China absorbs more than 80 percent of Iran's seaborne oil exports. The Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil once flowed freely, has been reduced to a trickle, and the world now watches to see whether economic coercion can accomplish what military force has not.
Washington is preparing to announce what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is calling the "toughest sanctions in history" against Iran — a move scheduled for Monday that carries consequences well beyond Tehran. The conflict, which began in late February with coordinated American and Israeli airstrikes, has already killed thousands, predominantly Iranian civilians. Among the dead from the first day alone were 168 schoolchildren. The United States has lost 18 military personnel and seen more than 750 wounded.
What distinguishes the coming sanctions is their deliberate reach into Iran's trading relationships, above all with China. Beijing handles more than 80 percent of Iran's seaborne oil exports, and the Trump administration has made clear that any country offering Iran an economic lifeline will face consequences of its own. The pressure puts China in a position with no comfortable exit — caught between its energy needs and Washington's demands.
The Strait of Hormuz has meanwhile collapsed as a functioning shipping corridor. On Thursday, only four commercial vessels made the crossing — none of them large crude or gas tankers. In ordinary times, the strait carries more than 20 million barrels of oil per day. American military efforts have kept roughly eight million barrels moving, but that remains far below normal, and prices are rising as a result.
Iran's public posture is defiant. Officials have called the secondary sanctions a violation of international law and warned neighboring states against cooperating with the American campaign. Yet President Masoud Pezeshkian has also spoken openly about preferring a diplomatic resolution — one that would allow Iran to exit the war with its dignity intact. The gap between the rhetoric and that quiet signal is where any negotiated settlement would have to begin.
The deeper problem is that the war's stated goals — dismantling Iran's nuclear program and creating conditions for regime change — remain out of reach. UN inspectors have been unable to enter Iran since 2025. Iran retains enough missile and drone capacity to keep disrupting shipping and threatening neighbors. As the sanctions announcement approaches, the conflict has grown from a bilateral confrontation into a stress test for global energy markets, Chinese foreign policy, and the limits of economic coercion itself.
Washington is preparing to unleash what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent calls the "toughest sanctions in history" against Iran, a move that threatens to reshape global energy markets and force China into an impossible choice. The announcement is scheduled for Monday, and the stakes extend far beyond Tehran—they reach into Beijing's energy supply chain and the wallets of consumers worldwide.
The conflict between the United States and Iran, which erupted in late February with coordinated American and Israeli airstrikes, has already exacted a staggering human toll. Thousands have died, predominantly Iranian civilians. On the first day alone, 168 Iranian schoolchildren were killed. The United States has reported 18 military personnel dead and more than 750 wounded. Nearly six months into the war, the economic and military damage to Iran has been severe, yet the fighting shows no clear path to resolution.
What makes the coming sanctions particularly consequential is their explicit targeting of Iran's trading partners, especially China. Beijing currently handles more than 80 percent of Iran's seaborne oil exports, according to 2025 data from analytics firm Kpler. The Trump administration has already urged China to cooperate with the economic isolation campaign, and the new sanctions regime will test whether Beijing will comply or resist. President Trump has warned that any country providing Iran with "any type of lifeline" faces economic consequences of its own.
Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz—one of the world's most critical chokepoints for energy—has nearly ceased functioning as a shipping corridor. On Thursday alone, only four commercial vessels crossed the waterway. None were large crude carriers or liquefied natural gas tankers. In normal times, the strait moves more than 20 million barrels of oil daily, roughly one-fifth of global consumption. The US military has managed to facilitate movement of approximately eight million barrels per day on average, but that figure remains drastically below pre-war levels. The disruption is already pushing oil prices upward and threatening global energy security.
Iran's government has responded with defiance and warnings. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei called the secondary sanctions an attempt by Washington to impose its will beyond its borders, arguing they lack foundation in international law. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, went further, telling state television that Tehran would regard any neighboring country assisting the American economic campaign as an enemy. Yet beneath the rhetoric, there are signs of pragmatism. President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for a diplomatic solution, suggesting it would be preferable to end the war while Iran could still claim strength and dignity.
Iranian military leaders have attempted to project resilience despite mounting costs. During a visit to an underground ballistic missile facility, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Abdollahi claimed Iran had improved its weapons manufacturing capacity in both quality and quantity. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf reported receiving "numerous messages" from neighboring countries proposing new regional security arrangements, though he did not name them. He also accused Washington of undermining its own regional allies in pursuit of Israeli interests.
The fundamental problem remains unresolved. Washington has not achieved the objectives President Trump set at the war's outset: dismantling Iran's nuclear program and creating conditions for regime change. UN inspectors have been unable to access Iran since 2025, leaving the status of its nuclear capabilities uncertain. Iran retains sufficient missile and drone capacity to disrupt shipping and threaten regional rivals, meaning the conflict could persist indefinitely.
As the Treasury Department prepares to announce its new sanctions, the confrontation is shifting from a bilateral US-Iran conflict into something far more complex. China's energy security, global oil prices, and the stability of international trade are now directly at stake. The question is no longer simply whether Iran will capitulate, but whether the economic pressure will force a negotiated settlement—or whether it will instead deepen a conflict that has already claimed thousands of lives and paralyzed one of the world's most vital shipping lanes.
Citações Notáveis
Such secondary sanctions find no foundation in international law— Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei
It would be better to end the war today, when we are powerful and have dignity, and the whole world acknowledges our victory— Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian
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War & Conflict