Trump Turns to Economic Attrition as Pressure on Iran Enters a New Phase

Trump turns to economic attrition as pressure on Iran enters a new phase

President Donald Trump is trying to turn economic pressure into the main weapon of his conflict with Iran, but the strategy creates a problem that sanctions alone cannot solve: Washington may need to sustain the campaign longer than Tehran is willing to absorb it. Trump said Wednesday that the United States would launch “the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY,” while his administration has halted conversations with I…

Watch China Says Trump Economic Warfare Won't Solve Iran Crisis

Anna Ashton, former Defense Department analyst for China, says that the US has significantly weakened its relationships and its weapons stockpiles ahead of President Xi's visit to the US in September and that Xi Jinping feels as if he has the upper hand heading into those talks. Ashton also weighed in on the US positioning in the region amid war with Iran, saying that the US is giving Beijing numerous signals that it's 'abandoning the Pacific as an area of primary focus.'

US Intensifies Iran Pressure as China Argues Sanctions Won't Solve Crisis

People pass by a mural portraying Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on a street in Tehran, August 13, 2026. — Reuters China rejects U.S. sanctions on Iran, stating that pressure alone won’t resolve the ongoing crisis. According to Kpler data, Beijing imports over 80% of Iran’s exported oil. Former President Trump issued a […] The post US Intensifies Iran Pressure as China Argues Sanctions Won’t Solve Crisis appeared first on Digi…