The U.S. Prepares Unprecedented Economic Measures Against Iran
The Trump administration is entering a new phase of its strategy. Instead of launching another military campaign, Washington is betting on economic pressure.
On August 14, it became clear that the confrontation between the United States and Iran is entering a new stage. This time, the primary weapons may not be cruise missiles, but money, sanctions, and control over global trade flows.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that Washington will unveil measures next week that, in his words, the world has never seen before.
"Stay tuned. Next week we'll have further announcements because we're going to undertake actions unlike anything ever seen in the history of the economic isolation of a country," Bessent said in an interview with Newsmax.
According to Bessent, the new package will be part of a "double strike": economic pressure will be accompanied by the continuation of Iran's maritime blockade.
A War Without Missile Barrages
Six months of conflict have changed the strategic landscape.
Every new missile strike has come at a high cost. Every retaliatory attack has increased the risk of drawing additional countries into the conflict. Any miscalculation could prove extremely costly—for both Washington and its allies.
It appears the White House has drawn its conclusions. Sometimes crippling an opponent's economy is more effective than destroying its cities.
That does not mean abandoning the use of force. It means changing the order in which that force is applied.
At the same time, questions are growing louder within the United States about the cost of maintaining a prolonged military presence overseas.
Congressman Mike Levin recently highlighted complaints from the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln. According to a letter from sailors, they are dealing with mold in shower facilities, malfunctioning sanitation systems, shortages of fresh food, and excessive operational demands. Even the world's largest military cannot operate indefinitely without paying a price.
The Fleet Remains a Powerful Deterrent
Economic pressure is not replacing military power—it is redefining its role.
According to official Pentagon figures, more than 20 U.S. naval vessels are currently deployed in the region. They serve not only as a deterrent but also as a guarantee that sanctions are backed by a credible military option.
That is why the current strategy does not look like a retreat from confrontation. Instead, it appears to be an attempt to achieve the same objectives through different means.
Israel Is Betting on Time
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel is prepared to resume strikes against Iran if Washington considers it necessary.
However, a different line of thinking is becoming increasingly visible within Israel's leadership.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich previously remarked:
"Ultimately, the regime will collapse because of its weakening, above all its economy. The current situation—with an embargo, economic pressure, and sanctions—is the best possible outcome for us."
That statement captures the logic behind the current strategy. Sometimes time becomes a stronger ally than airpower.
Andrievskii Verdict
Washington appears ready to test a weapon that can, at times, prove more powerful than missiles. Economic warfare does not arrive with explosions lighting up the night sky. It advances gradually—cutting off financial flows, raw materials, ports, and trade routes. That is precisely why its long-term consequences can run deeper than those of several weeks of military operations.
Attention will now inevitably shift to the financial markets. They are likely to deliver the first verdict on the White House's new strategy. Will investors begin pricing in a scenario where economic pressure proves more effective than military action? Or will they wait for tangible evidence before adjusting their expectations?
One area to watch closely is the rare earth metals sector. Companies tied to these critical minerals could be among the first to attract renewed investor attention, as concerns continue to grow over potential shortages of strategic materials essential for defense manufacturing and advanced technologies.
Investors may also turn their focus to the aerospace and defense industry, construction materials producers, and logistics and shipping companies, all of which stand to be affected by a changing geopolitical landscape that brings new trade routes, new risks, and new opportunities.
The world may be witnessing precisely such a turning point today. If Washington's calculations prove correct, the opening blow of this new campaign will not be delivered by missiles, but by numbers on balance sheets, commodity prices, and the movement of global capital. And as history has often shown, financial markets tend to recognize major geopolitical shifts before politicians do.
Aleksei Andrievskii | Advisory Board Member, Bendura Bank AG | Liechtenstein