US President Donald Trump has intensified efforts to economically isolate Iran, threatening financial penalties against any country that provides Tehran with an economic “lifeline.” In a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Trump described the campaign as the harshest economic action against any country and said assistance through oil smuggling, money transfers, cash deliveries, currency exchanges, ship registration or front companies must stop. The move came six months after a costly US conflict with Iran began.

Analysts said China and Russia could limit the campaign’s effectiveness. Paul Musgrave of Georgetown University Qatar said enforcing such coordinated sanctions unilaterally would be very difficult and traditionally requires multilateral support. The United Arab Emirates announced an indefinite trade embargo on Iran after accusing Iranian forces of firing two ballistic missiles at its territory. An expert said Washington likely strongly encouraged or influenced the UAE decision.

China bought 80 percent of Iran’s exported oil in 2025, according to Kpler data. Russia and Iran signed a 20-year partnership agreement in January 2025, while their trade reached $4.8 billion in the first 11 months of that year. Iran is also considering joining the BRICS New Development Bank.