Iran's key trade partners the US must target to isolate it

The United States has unveiled new sanctions targeting Iran, aiming to isolate it from the global economy by severing its economic lifelines. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the measures, which designate nearly 60 entities and expand secondary sanctions across multiple sectors. Iran's top export partners include China, Iraq, the UAE, Turkiye, and Afghanistan, with China buying over 80 percent of Iran's seaborne crude oil. On imports, the UAE supplies 30 percent of Iran's goods, followed by China, Turkiye, the EU, and India, totaling $68.5 billion in 2024. The UAE recently imposed an indefinite trade embargo on Iran, cutting a key re-export route. Iran has been under Western sanctions for two decades, shifting its trade toward Asian and regional partners.