Iranians are now concerned about the consequences of the new sanctions that Washington has decided to impose, having vowed to “strangle economically” Iran, where lines at gas stations are growing noticeably longer.
As the Islamic Republic’s main strategic and economic partner, China, for its part, warned today that it would “vigorously” defend its interests, following the U.S. announcement, which also threatened to isolate countries that continue to support Tehran.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
“Maximum pressure exerted in the context of an economic war does not, under any circumstances, resolve problems. On the contrary, they exacerbate tensions and conflicts, trigger spillover effects, destabilize the global economic and financial order, and infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of other countries,” said Lin Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, today.
“China will take all necessary measures to vigorously defend its rights and interests,” he emphasized.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unveiled a new package of sanctions yesterday, “secondary” sanctions that do not directly target Iran—which has already been subject to international sanctions for decades—but rather its trading partners in the sectors of gold, technology, digital assets, aviation, and maritime transport.
However, he did not specify when they would take effect or which countries might find themselves in the U.S.’s crosshairs.
“Intense pressure”
In the meantime, many drivers, in their cars or on their motorcycles, flocked to gas stations in Tehran today.
“Of course, the sanctions affect people’s lives; citizens are suffering,” whether they are “well-off” or “impoverished,” says Mehdi Yazdian, a real estate agent who spoke to Agence France-Presse in the northern part of the Iranian capital.
However, “our people are strong. These sanctions have been in place for 47 years,” added the 55-year-old man.
“We Iranians are not afraid of war, but I believe this war will be primarily economic and will put great pressure on the population, and there may be protests again,” said Kia Farahani, a 45-year-old English teacher.
A protest movement, which initially erupted in late December due to the high cost of living, soon turned into massive anti-government demonstrations, which peaked on January 8 and 9 and resulted in thousands of deaths.
Donald Trump stated today that the executions of protesters must be “immediately halted,” describing them as a “humanitarian crisis of gigantic proportions.” The number of executions, particularly in connection with the protest movement, has risen in Iran since the start of the war, which began on February 28 with U.S.-Israeli strikes against Tehran.
For their part, the Iranian authorities are expressing their determination not to back down, insisting that for any settlement, Washington must respect the terms of the memorandum of understanding signed in mid-June.
“The Americans know that no one believes their empty rhetoric,” Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bayer Galibaf, wrote on X last night.
On Iranian state television yesterday, Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh predicted that the American threats would lead to “yet another defeat” for Washington, noting that Tehran has a “two-year plan” to counter these sanctions, without providing details.
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