Trump Wants More Economic Pressure On Iran. He Has 5 Options on The Table

US President Donald Trump is weighing a fresh escalation of economic pressure on Iran as Washington looks for ways to "squeeze" Tehran’s revenues and weaken its ability to finance the war. While the US has already imposed sweeping sanctions and disrupted Iran's oil trade, experts say the Trump administration still has several options, many of which could significantly raise the stakes with China and other countries that continue to do business with Tehran.

Earlier this week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that Washington would impose measures on Tehran that have "never been seen" as soon as next week. An announcement is expected on Monday.

Recent measures have targeted Iran's shadow oil fleet; shipping insurers; entities and people enabling Iran's acquisition of weapons; and digital exchanges, freezing an estimated $500 billion in Iran-linked cryptocurrency. Data from the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) shows the agency has imposed sanctions on more than 1,000 people, vessels and aircraft since Trump began his second term.

Experts say the Trump administration also can try these options:

One of the most consequential moves would be targeting China’s independent “teapot” refineries, which account for roughly a quarter of the country’s refining capacity and absorb a significant share of Iranian oil. China buys more than 80 per cent of Iran’s shipped oil, according to 2025 data from analytics firm Kpler, making Chinese buyers a critical lifeline for Tehran.

Washington could also go after Chinese banks accused of facilitating Iranian oil payments, although such a step risks triggering retaliation from Beijing at a time when Trump is seeking to manage broader US-China tensions.

The administration could alternatively intensify its existing “whack-a-mole” strategy by repeatedly sanctioning Iranian entities, oil traders, shippers, currency exchangers and companies in China and the Gulf that help Tehran evade restrictions. But sanctions experts warn that this approach has had limited success, with Iran frequently creating new companies and networks to replace those that are targeted.

Other, more aggressive options are also being discussed. These include further aviation sanctions, secondary tariffs against countries helping Iran’s commerce, and even a possible land blockade involving Iran’s neighbours. Such a blockade could sharply restrict the movement of food, energy, textiles and other imports into Iran, but would be extremely difficult to enforce and could place enormous pressure on the Iranian population.

Trump could also gain new leverage through legislation. The US Senate has passed a sweeping Russia sanctions bill containing additional Iran-related measures and provisions that could potentially give the president new tariff powers against countries aiding Iran’s trade and weapons procurement. However, the legislation still faces hurdles in the House of Representatives.

The choices before Trump therefore range from targeted financial sanctions to measures that could disrupt Iran’s entire trading network, but each carries its own risks, particularly the possibility of a direct economic confrontation with China and greater hardship for ordinary Iranians.

Ananya is a journalist with a strong grounding in breaking news and a deep-rooted passion for geopolitics. She has 6 years of experience in TV and Dig... View More