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presses allies, China to join economic pressure on Iran WASHINGTON The United States has pressed its allies and China
to cut their remaining economic ties with Iran as the Trump administration prepares what it says will be its toughest
campaign yet to isolate Tehran. President Donald Trump announced on Aug. 19 “the most crushing economic operation ever
taken against any country,” warning that countries whose banks, companies, airports or government bodies provide Iran
with an economic lifeline would face severe consequences. He identified oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers,
exchange houses, ship registries and front companies as channels Washington wants shut down. The administration has not
yet disclosed the measures. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he would provide details at a news conference on Aug.
24. Bessent said the campaign would include the “toughest sanctions in history” and told allies they were “either
with us or against us.” Countries that transfer money to Iran, buy its oil or facilitate ship-to-ship transfers would
face U.S. enforcement, he said. Asked whether Washington would pressure China, Iran’s largest oil customer, Bessent
said some discussions were best held privately but urged Beijing “to get with the program.” The treasury secretary
said Washington intended to “collapse this regime,” although he also argued that maximum economic pressure could
reduce the likelihood of renewed large-scale military operations. Iran rejected the campaign. Foreign Minister Abbas
Araghchi called Trump’s “Economic D-Day” a diversion from rising U.S. debt and interest costs and said further
pressure would fail. Iran’s Foreign Ministry described the threatened sanctions as “economic terrorism” and
“crimes against humanity,” saying they targeted the basic rights of Iranian citizens. The planned measures would
intensify Washington’s existing “Economic Fury” campaign, which has targeted Iranian oil sales, shadow banking
networks, cryptocurrency exchanges and vessels used to evade sanctions. Despite years of restrictions, Iran continues to
export oil through opaque shipping networks, with China remaining its largest customer. The announcement came nearly six
months into the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. Trump said this week that talks with Tehran were on hold, while Bessent
described economic pressure as Washington’s most effective tool. China says US 'sanctions and pressure' on Iran not a
solution Asked about U.S. President Donald Trump's threats, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters
on Friday that "sanctions and pressure will not help resolve the issue". "China calls on all relevant parties to take
responsible measures and resolve the problem through political and diplomatic means," he said. Spokesman Lin
reiterated the need for all parties to take "responsible measures" in resolving the war, when he was asked about
Bessent's comments. "China opposes illegal unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law and are not
authorised by the U.N. Security Council," Lin said. Quark.Models.Entities.Ancestor?.Title?.ToUpperInvariant() Salah’s
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