Iran lashes out at US sanctions amid economic toll at home - Reuters

**Iran lashes out at U.S. sanctions amid mounting economic pressure at home** *Reuters*

Tehran’s foreign ministry accused Washington on Tuesday of “unilateral economic aggression” after the United States imposed a new round of secondary sanctions targeting individuals and entities that facilitate Iranian oil exports and financial transactions. The measures, announced by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, aim to choke off revenue streams that the U.S. says fund Tehran’s ballistic‑missile program. Iranian officials warned that the sanctions would deepen the country’s already severe inflationary spiral, erode the purchasing power of the rial, and push unemployment higher in a nation still reeling from pandemic‑related disruptions and a prolonged COVID‑19 health crisis. President Ebrahim Raisi’s administration, which has been courting a limited rapprochement with the West, denounced the step as “illegal, harmful, and in violation of international law,” and pledged to pursue “all diplomatic channels” to mitigate the impact on ordinary Iranians.

The sanctions reverberated beyond Tehran’s borders. The U.S. Treasury also moved to blacklist the UAE branch of Egypt’s Banque Misr, citing its alleged role in shuttling oil‑sale proceeds to Iran. The designation has sparked concerns among Gulf financiers about the growing reach of U.S. extraterritorial measures, especially as Dubai—long a hub for Iranian commerce—shows no visible signs of a “D‑Day” shift in its economic ties, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report. Meanwhile, oil markets responded with muted volatility; Brent and WTI crude held steady but edged toward weekly losses as tanker traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz remained “choppy,” reflecting both lingering supply‑chain uncertainties and the potential for further sanctions‑driven disruptions.

Analysts note that the sanctions are a key component of the Trump administration’s broader Iran strategy, which, six months on, appears to be bearing fruit in curbing Tehran’s access to the global financial system. While Washington heralds the measures as a diplomatic lever to bring Iran back to the nuclear talks table, critics argue that the pressure is already exacting a heavy humanitarian toll and may entrench hard‑line elements within the Iranian political establishment. The coming weeks will test whether Tehran’s vocal opposition can translate into concrete policy adjustments or whether the sanctions will deepen the economic crisis without achieving the intended political outcomes.