US Targets Key Areas of Iran's Shadow Economy

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has announced a new phase in Washington's economic campaign against Iran, targeting not only sanctioned institutions but also international networks Tehran uses to keep money and goods moving.

The five 'economic lifelines' the US will target are digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping. Bessent warned that any entity facilitating money laundering for Iran would be removed from the US dollar-based financial system, calling it a countdown that starts now.

The new measures aim to tighten secondary sanctions, putting pressure on companies, financial intermediaries, and trading partners outside Iran rather than simply adding restrictions on its heavily sanctioned economy.