After the attack on Israel, the USA wants to tighten sanctions against the Iranian regime. A focus is also on the oil trade between China and Iran.
But experts say the United States has limited options for doing so without angering China or risking a rise in oil prices. Iran sent more than 300 drones and missiles toward Israel over the weekend in retaliation for an attack on its consulate. The unprecedented aerial barrage caused no major damage or injuries as U.S.-led forces intercepted most of the projectiles. The United States imposed sanctions on some commercial links in the China-Iran oil trade last year. Experts say the administration could go further by imposing the restrictions on many more Chinese refineries and banks. The US wants to aggressively expand sanctions on Chinese companies that have purchased large quantities of Iranian crude exports, which provides a financial lifeline for Tehran as it is cut off from the West. The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said officials in Brussels were discussing tougher sanctions against Iran. The House of Representatives on Monday overwhelmingly passed legislation aimed at stopping Iranian oil sales to China. Critics have argued that Biden should have gone further to ensure that Tehran would not be able to make billions from its oil exports. Other experts see the challenge in the fact that Washington has already acted too aggressively towards Tehran. Since the Trump administration withdrew from the nuclear deal negotiated by President Barack Obama, Iran has been subject to strict economic restrictions, leaving policymakers little room for maneuver for new emergencies. The EU is considering additional sanctions. The U.S. has made clear that it will not participate in an Israeli military strike against Iran, and senior officials have stressed that its goal is to "de-escalate regional tensions" to prevent a wider conflagration. Israel's war cabinet met on Monday to discuss possible responses. The West has ruled out involvement in a military response, but an economic response to Iran's actions appears increasingly certain.