US Escalates Economic Warfare: New Sanctions on Iran's Digital Assets, Gold, Technology, Aviation, and Shipping
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The United States has intensified its campaign of economic coercion against Iran, expanding secondary sanctions that will further harm ordinary Iranians by targeting digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping. As Iran’s economy reels from inflation and job losses, these measures threaten to deepen the suffering of workers and families, fueling protests against both US imperialism and domestic mismanagement.
The United States has announced a new round of punitive secondary sanctions, aiming to punish not just Iran but also foreign firms and governments that dare to engage with the country, Treasury officials revealed. The crackdown targets five sectors—digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping—described by the administration as Iran’s 'most vital lifelines.' In reality, these are the very sectors that sustain ordinary Iranians, not just the regime.
Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder and CEO of the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation, highlighted the devastating impact on the population: 'Digital assets and gold are how ordinary Iranians protect their savings from inflation,' he wrote on X. 'Technology keeps Iranians connected with the world. Aviation keeps Iranian families connected with loved ones across borders. Shipping is how essential goods, including food and medicine, reach Iran.' The US, by targeting these sectors, is weaponizing basic necessities against civilians.
This escalation reflects a US strategy that prioritizes economic strangulation over direct military aggression. The Treasury Department, unsurprisingly, refused to comment on the human cost of their actions.
Iran’s economy, already battered by a naval blockade and war-induced chaos, is suffering from hyperinflation—over 80%—and a catastrophic currency collapse. The International Monetary Fund projects a 6.1% contraction this year, while a labor ministry official estimates over a million jobs have been destroyed. These are not just numbers—they represent real people forced into poverty by sanctions and war.
The blockade has choked off oil exports and blocked imports of refined fuel, causing fuel shortages and hardship at gas stations. The government, under pressure, has resisted raising fuel prices to avoid sparking further unrest among a population already pushed to the brink.
In the face of these hardships, courageous protests have broken out, including a strike by oil and gas workers in Asaluyeh and demonstrations by laid-off steel and petrochemical workers. These actions are a testament to the resilience of Iranian workers against both foreign intervention and domestic repression.
Even Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has warned that military might alone cannot sustain a nation if its people are left hungry and destitute. Experts agree that while the regime may survive, the real victims of these policies are the Iranian people, who bear the brunt of both US imperialism and government mismanagement.