Trump’s Economic D-Day Against Iran: Can Tehran Survive? | Dr Nasir Baig

In this episode of Global Sach Podcast with Dr Nasir Baig, we analyse the Trump administration’s latest economic offensive against Iran—Operation Economic Outcast—announced by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as the US–Iran war approaches the six-month mark. After months of military conflict and rising tensions across the Middle East, Washington is now attempting to isolate Tehran from the global financial and trading system. Described by US officials as an “Economic D-Day,” the new campaign targets Iranian oil exports, shadow-fleet vessels, shipping companies, aviation networks, banking channels, technology, gold, digital assets and cryptocurrency transactions. This programme examines the history of US sanctions on Iran, from the 1979 asset freeze and the Iran and Libya Sanctions Act to Iran’s exclusion from SWIFT, the JCPOA nuclear agreement, Trump’s Maximum Pressure campaign and the latest phase of economic warfare. We also discuss Iran’s major trading partners—China, the UAE, Türkiye, India and Pakistan—and explain why China’s continued purchase of Iranian oil could determine whether Trump’s new sanctions succeed or fail. The analysis explores the role of Chinese teapot refineries, provincial banks, shadow-fleet tankers and alternative payment channels in sustaining Iran’s international trade. Can Iran bypass the US dollar through China’s CIPS payment system, Chinese yuan settlements, barter trade, gold and digital currencies? Could the growing use of the Chinese yuan and Iranian rial weaken Washington’s financial pressure, or does Tehran still remain dependent on the dollar-dominated global economy? We also examine how the US–Iran war and the wider Middle East conflict are affecting the Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman. Any further disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could affect oil and gas exports, global shipping routes, energy prices, financial markets and international trade. How badly have war, inflatio

Added 27 Aug 2026