The United States is ramping up pressure on Iran by targeting the economic lifelines that help keep its oil flowing, with a particular focus on China’s role in facilitating those exports.
Gatestone Institute senior fellow Gordon Chang joined FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo on “Mornings with Maria” to discuss how Washington’s latest sanctions strategy is designed to disrupt the networks moving Iranian crude, including Chinese refineries and vessels tied to Tehran’s so-called “shadow fleet.”
Those measures come as U.S. officials expand beyond traditional sanctions, warning foreign entities that continued business with Iran could jeopardize access to the American financial system. The approach reflects a broader shift toward what analysts describe as economic warfare, aimed at cutting off revenue streams that sustain Iran’s government.
“It’s important for the United States to start imposing secondary sanctions,” Chang said. “You should start, as the Treasury has done, with China because China is the main criminal here.”
Chang pointed to a recurring challenge in enforcing sanctions, noting that targeted entities often adapt quickly by shifting operations to avoid penalties.
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“We have seen in the past that when we impose sanctions on Chinese entities… it moves the sanctioned activity to non-sanctioned entities and starts all over,” he said. “This is sanctions whack-a-mole.”
To counter that, Chang argued, the U.S. must broaden its approach to include entire networks rather than individual actors.
“The important thing here is for the United States to sanction all refiners, for instance, all vessels. We do that, we really cut off the China support for Iran,” he said.
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The push comes ahead of anticipated high-level talks between U.S. and Chinese leaders, raising the stakes for how aggressively Washington enforces its sanctions.
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