U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to announce a new package of economic sanctions on Iran on Monday, as the Trump administration seeks to intensify financial pressure on Tehran and countries that continue to provide it with economic support. The new Iran sanctions are expected to expand the campaign beyond individual companies and target broader networks that help Iran generate revenue and move money internationally.

President Donald Trump has described the planned measures as an “economic D-Day.” Meanwhile, Bessent has called the campaign the “single greatest financial offensive ever.” The administration has warned that governments and financial institutions that continue to provide Iran with an economic lifeline could also face consequences.

The announcement comes as Iran’s currency has fallen to another record low and the country’s economy faces growing pressure from sanctions, disrupted trade and the conflict in the Middle East. Reuters reported Monday that Washington is preparing to broaden secondary sanctions against entities and countries conducting business with Iran.

The U.S. has already imposed extensive restrictions on Iran. Recent measures have targeted oil sales, financial networks, shipping operations, digital assets and procurement networks connected to Iran’s military.

On August 7, the Treasury Department announced sanctions against networks operating across several countries that it said had helped Iran’s shadow banking system move hundreds of millions of dollars. The department said the action was intended to cut off financial channels supporting the Iranian government. U.S. Treasury sanctions against Iranian financial networks.

The latest measures could therefore represent an escalation in strategy rather than simply another list of designated companies.

New Iran Sanctions Could Target Countries and Financial Networks

The central question surrounding Monday’s announcement is how far the United States will go with secondary sanctions.

Traditional sanctions can target specific companies, banks, individuals, vessels or other entities linked to Iran. In contrast, secondary sanctions create a broader threat because they can pressure foreign businesses and institutions. These are businesses and institutions that continue dealing with sanctioned Iranian entities.

That approach could put Iran’s remaining international trading partners under greater pressure.

Bessent has specifically criticized China, Iran’s largest oil customer, for continuing to purchase Iranian crude. Reuters reported that Iranian shipments to China have already fallen sharply as the United States has tightened its blockade and sanctions. However, Chinese independent refiners continue to purchase Iranian oil.

China is therefore likely to be one of the most important tests of the new Iran sanctions.

Beijing has opposed unilateral U.S. sanctions and has continued to maintain economic ties with Tehran. However, any attempt by Washington to impose significant penalties on Chinese banks, refiners or other institutions could create a broader confrontation between the two countries.

The administration is also expected to target mechanisms used to move Iranian oil, exchange currencies and provide access to international financial systems. In addition, Reuters reported that the planned measures could extend to oil shipments, currency exchanges and aviation-related activities that support Iran.

The strategy reflects the broader “Economic Fury” campaign already being implemented by the Treasury Department.

In May and June, U.S. sanctions targeted Iranian oil revenue, procurement networks and digital asset exchanges. In July, Treasury also expanded pressure on shipping networks connected to Iranian oil exports. Treasury action against Iran’s shipping and oil networks.

The new measures could make it more difficult for Iranian entities to use intermediaries in third countries to maintain access to international commerce.

However, the effectiveness of another round of sanctions remains disputed.

Some former U.S. officials and Iran specialists argue that Washington has already sanctioned many of the most important targets. On the other hand, the remaining challenge is not identifying Iranian entities but preventing Tehran from finding alternative routes through countries willing to continue trading with it.

That could make enforcement more important than the number of new designations announced by Treasury.

Iran’s Economy Faces Deeper Pressure as Hormuz Remains Disrupted

Iran is entering the new sanctions phase from a weakened economic position.

The Iranian rial has fallen sharply, while inflation, unemployment and shortages have increased pressure on households. The World Bank says Iran’s economic activity has been severely disrupted by conflict, sanctions and social unrest. It also warns that restrictions on oil exports and imports of essential goods could create additional fiscal and inflationary pressure.

The planned Iran sanctions could intensify those problems by making access to foreign currency and international trade even more difficult.

For ordinary Iranians, the effects can be immediate.

The supplied reporting describes households increasingly relying on credit to purchase food, while essential medicines such as insulin have become more difficult to afford. Meanwhile, frequent power outages and rising unemployment are adding to the strain.

The deterioration of the rial has also increased the cost of imported goods and contributed to uncertainty over prices.

The economic pressure is closely connected to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The waterway remains one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints. The International Energy Agency estimates that around 20 million barrels per day of crude oil and petroleum products moved through the Strait in 2025. This is equivalent to roughly one-quarter of global seaborne oil trade. International Energy Agency Strait of Hormuz overview.

Current shipping activity is dramatically below normal levels. Reuters reported that fewer than 20 commodity vessels transited the Strait over the weekend, with only four crossings recorded on Sunday and 13 on Saturday. Traffic over the previous week was about 90% below pre-conflict levels, according to Kpler data cited by Reuters.

The disruption has consequences well beyond Iran.

The IEA said in its August Oil Market Report that the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz was weighing on global oil demand and contributing to lower supply forecasts for 2026. Additionally, the agency also reported that oil production and exports across the Gulf remained substantially below pre-war levels.

That creates an additional complication for Washington.

A more aggressive sanctions campaign could reduce Iran’s ability to export oil, but further restrictions on energy flows could also increase volatility in global oil markets.

Iran has also threatened retaliation against countries that cooperate with the new U.S. measures. Iranian officials have warned Gulf states that participation in the economic pressure campaign could make them targets.

The possibility of additional attacks on oil tankers or further disruption around Hormuz raises the risk that economic sanctions could become intertwined with a wider energy and security crisis.

For the United States, the immediate objective is to reduce Iran’s access to international revenue and financial channels. Meanwhile, for Tehran, the challenge is maintaining enough economic activity to withstand the pressure while preserving its ability to sell oil and conduct foreign trade.

That confrontation is now moving into a new phase as Washington prepares to announce the next round of measures.