New Sanctions Are Unlikely to Topple Iran’s Regime

The Economist: “The warnings were apocalyptic. An ‘economic D-Day’ was looming for Iran, blustered Donald Trump. It would be ‘the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary,’ declared Scott Bessent, America’s treasury secretary. Having failed to fell the Iranian regime with military might, America was turning to economic weapons.”

“Yet Operation Economic Outcast, announced on August 24th, looks unlikely to bring about the fall of the regime. Nearly 60 individuals, entities and ships will come under fresh sanctions, as will five sectors of Iran’s economy, from digital assets to shipping. But America has so far only threatened to use its most potent economic weapon: secondary sanctions, on countries that trade with Iran or help its regime move money around. There is good reason to think it may never fire that weapon at full blast.”