--- title: "«The Harshest Sanctions in History»: Bessent Announces Double Blow to Iran and Urges China to Join the Pressure" description: "US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that Washington will impose the harshest sanctions in history against Iran, combined with a blockade. Details are promised for August 24." date: 2026-08-20T19:06:04.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/us-iran-hardest-sanctions-bessent-en tags: [us-sanctions, iran, scott-bessent, hormuz-strait, china-oil, trump] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # «The Harshest Sanctions in History»: Bessent Announces Double Blow to Iran and Urges China to Join the Pressure ![Scott Bessent in a suit and green striped tie gesturing while announcing the toughest sanctions in history against Iran and calling on China to join the pressure](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/21/us-iran-hardest-sanctions-bessent/us-iran-hardest-sanctions-bessent-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Bessent announced "the harshest sanctions in history" against Iran plus a blockade; details on August 24. - The US is urging China and allies to join the pressure, citing China's dependence on Persian Gulf oil. - There are discrepancies in figures: 50% (Bessent's statement) versus 80% (Kpler data on China's share in Iranian oil). - Dispute over control of the Strait of Hormuz: Trump claims total US control, Iran claims the opposite. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that Washington is preparing "the harshest sanctions in history" against Iran, which will be supplemented by an economic blockade. According to him, details of the restrictions package will be revealed at a press conference on Monday, August 24. The statement came amid escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and a shift in US strategy towards Tehran — emphasizing economic pressure and strategic patience instead of direct military action. ### «Double Blow»: Blockade and Record Restrictions In an interview cited by Reuters and RBC-Ukraine, Bessent characterized the planned measures as a "double blow": "We have a blockade, and we will have the harshest sanctions in history." With this phrasing, the official emphasized that Washington intends to simultaneously cut off trade channels and intensify the financial strangulation of the Iranian economy. Analysts note that such rhetoric corresponds to a shift in the Trump administration's course, which previously considered scenarios of military strikes but is now betting on sanctions pressure and strategic patience. ### Call to China and Allies Bessent appealed to US allies and the "rest of the world" to "make a decision" and join the pressure campaign against Iran. He placed special emphasis on China, stating that China receives about 50% of its energy carriers from the Persian Gulf, meaning participation in the sanctions initiative "would be of great service to the country." At the same time, as the publication notes, a further economic war with China — the largest trading partner and exporter to the US — carries the risk of retaliatory measures from Beijing, making Washington's diplomatic calculation extremely sensitive. ### Contradictory Data There are discrepancies in figures and assessments in the statements of the parties and analytical materials. On the one hand, Bessent claims that China receives 50% of its energy carriers from the Persian Gulf. On the other hand, according to data from the analytical company Kpler for 2025, China purchases more than 80% of the oil supplied by Iran. These are different indicators (the region's share in China's imports versus China's share in Iranian exports), but in public discourse they are often mixed, creating inconsistencies in the understanding of the scale of Chinese-Iranian trade. Furthermore, there is a contradiction regarding control over the Strait of Hormuz: on August 13, Donald Trump stated that the US "totally controls" this waterway, while Iran insists that Tehran exclusively manages the key route. ### Context: Strait of Hormuz and Strategy Shift Bessent's statement came against the backdrop of a dispute over the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world's most important oil transportation routes. Bessent emphasized that "everyone wants the Strait of Hormuz to be open again, and energy prices to fall," which indirectly points to current disruptions or threats to shipping in the region. It was previously reported that Trump changed his strategy towards Iran, betting on sanctions and patience instead of military action, and announced the application of "unprecedented measures" of economic pressure on the regime. ### Historical Background: Almost 50 Years Under Sanctions As RBC-Ukraine reminds, Iran has withstood harsh economic sanctions for almost 50 years — since the time of the Islamic Revolution of 1979. This means that the Iranian economy is already adapted to long-term external pressure, and the new package of restrictions, according to Bessent, must be qualitatively stricter to achieve a change in Tehran's behavior. The success of the initiative will largely depend on whether key trade partners of Iran, primarily China, join the pressure. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - ["The Harshest in History". Bessent Promises Iran New Sanctions](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/nayzhorstkishi-istoriyi-bessent-obitsyae-1787252328.html) - Подтверждает заявление Бессента о «самых жестких санкциях в истории», блокаде и пресс-конференции; упоминает 50 лет санкций и смену стратегии Трампа. - [US Preparing New Sanctions and Pressure Measures Against Iran, Bessent Says](https://mignews.com/news/politic/ssha-gotovyat-novye-sankcii-i-mery-davleniya-na-iran-zayavil-bessent.html) - Подтверждает подготовку новых санкций и мер давления на Иран со стороны США. - ["Who is not with us is against us". US Promises to Crush Iran with New Sanctions, But How Much...?](https://www.bbc.com/russian/articles/c8dnv47ldzmo) - Подтверждает риторiku давления на союзников и новые санкции против Ирана. - [Bessent Stated That the US Will Impose the Harshest Sanctions Against Iran and Called on China to...](https://unn.ua/ru/news/bessent-zayavil-chto-ssha-vvedut-samie-zhyostkie-sanktsii-protiv-irana-i-prizval-kitai-k-sotrudnichestvu) - Подтверждает призыв к Китаю и тезис о «самых жестких санкциях». ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: When will the details of the new sanctions against Iran be known? **A:** According to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, details will be presented at a press conference on Monday, August 24. ### Q: What exactly is included in the planned measures? **A:** Bessent described them as a "double blow": an economic blockade and "the harshest sanctions in history" against Iran. ### Q: Why is the US appealing to China? **A:** According to Bessent's statement, China receives about 50% of its energy carriers from the Persian Gulf, so China's participation in pressuring Iran would be in its interest. However, Kpler data for 2025 indicates that China purchases more than 80% of Iranian oil.