Washington Faces Challenges in Penalizing Iran Supporters
The United States faces a challenge in enforcing its economic threats against Iran and its allies, especially given the heavy dependence on China as Iran's largest oil buyer. China imports about 90% of Iran's oil exports, and 80% of the oil shipped to China passes through intermediaries that are difficult to track. Although Washington has imposed sanctions on Iranian companies, vessels, and refineries, targeting banks and major corporations—particularly Chinese ones—raises costs and complicates the enforcement of sanctions. This is due to China's strong relationship with Iran and its reliance on Iranian resources, which could provoke a response from Beijing. Additionally, Iran relies on an extensive network of money changers and financial fronts, making comprehensive sanctions difficult to implement and demonstrating Tehran's readiness to circumvent American sanctions. Countries like Iraq, Turkey, and the UAE, which depend on Iranian gas and oil, present further complications. For example, the UAE has decided to suspend financial transactions with Iran, highlighting how Iran's vital economic arteries are intertwined with countries directly connected to the United States. This intertwining limits the effectiveness of sanctions and increases the costs of their enforcement at the level of major powers.
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