US Targets Iran's Trade Lifelines in Economic D-Day Campaign
The US has announced an economic campaign to isolate Iran from the global economy, targeting its trade lifelines and threatening penalties against entities that continue to do business with Tehran. This move is part of Washington's bid to sever the trade lifeline that has sustained Tehran's economy through nearly six months of war.
China is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil, accounting for about 90% of its exports, according to the US government. China reported $9.96 billion in bilateral trade with Iran in 2025, excluding unreported crude oil exports worth around $31.2 billion that year.
The UAE has long been a major trading hub for Iran, with bilateral trade amounting to around $28 billion in 2024. The country has suspended all trade and financial transactions with Iran after two ballistic missiles were fired toward Emirati territory.
Other countries exposed include Turkey, Iraq, and India, which have significant commercial ties with Tehran. Turkey's imports of Iranian gas spiked this year while Iran's share of Turkey's total natural gas imports rose to 18.6%. Iraq-Iran trade reached more than $10 billion in 2025.