
10 days · 6 summary articles
The United States on Monday launched a sweeping economic offensive against Iran, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announcing new sanctions targeting nearly 60 entities, individuals and vessels linked to Tehran’s nuclear, missile, cyber and oil sectors. Bessent described the measures as “Operation Economic Outcast,” aimed at severing Iran’s remaining financial lifelines, and warned that countries maintaining economic ties with Iran would face secondary sanctions .
The sanctions cover sectors including aviation, shipping, gold, technology and digital assets, with the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control blacklisting firms and individuals across multiple jurisdictions. Bessent said nations would be given a defined timeline to halt Iran-related business or face penalties, adding that “no one is above the reach of U.S. sanctions” when pressed about China’s role in Iranian oil purchases .
Iran responded defiantly, with Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh stating Tehran was “fully prepared” and warning that its response would no longer be purely defensive. “The enemies should wait for an attack,” Madanizadeh told state media. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reiterated that military strikes remained an option, saying Washington was “by no means foreclosing using kinetic strikes anywhere in the Strait of Hormuz or around Iran” .
The Treasury also sanctioned Singapore-based Wellbred Capital and its trading arms in the UAE and Switzerland, citing ties to Iranian oil shipping magnate Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani. OFAC stated Shamkhani built Wellbred as a front for Iranian operations, with the measures targeting nearly 60 entities, individuals and ships .
The announcement came as the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported a vessel struck 9 nautical miles northeast of Ash Shishah, Oman, by an unknown projectile, damaging its engine room. The crew was unharmed, but the incident followed Bessent’s warning and raised tensions in the critical shipping lane .
Bessent framed the campaign as a choice for Iran: “complete global isolation” or a return to normalcy. He stressed that Washington would exclude from the dollar system any institution facilitating money laundering for Tehran, with a major financial institution expected to be sanctioned by week’s end .
Iranian state media separately claimed a $10 million bounty on Barron Trump, the U.S. president’s son, broadcasting footage titled “Where and how should we kill Barron Trump?” and displaying details of his university and security arrangements .
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