Washington Examiner
· collected 2026-09-15 · by L. Todd Wood
The administration of President Donald Trump is right to wage economic war on Iran.
asserted
administration → wage → Iran
Operation Economic Outcast is the correct strategy to starve the Iranian regime of the revenues it needs to fund its proxies, missiles, nuclear activities, and war against the U.S. in the Strait of Hormuz.
asserted
it → starve → Hormuz
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s declaration of the “full might” of the U.S. government to prevent other nations from continuing to conduct business with Iran is the kind of tough language needed — and it must be backed up.
But right now, there is a back door to close.
uncertain
it → prevent → language
And thus, all of this may become a very expensive photo opportunity.
uncertain
all → become → this
The UAE is the leak in the dam
These developments have unfolded as the UAE, on Aug. 19, announced that it would “cease all trade, commercial exchanges, and financial transactions with Iran until further notice.”
asserted
it → unfold → notice
Note the caveats — “until further notice” — which implies that a policy so profoundly antagonistic to Iranian trade will not be implemented overnight.
asserted
policy → note → trade
Furthermore, given the deep-rooted financial and commercial relationships which have developed between the Emiratis and Iranians over generations, effectively unplugging the Iranian economic machine from Dubai will require a demolition-style effort.
asserted
unplugging → give → effort
For generations, Iranian merchants, money changers and front companies have established roots in the economies of the Emirates.
asserted
merchants → establish → Emirates
Unplugging this financial ecosystem from the local economy would be a project requiring years to execute.
asserted
Unplugging → unplug → years
According to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, the UAE is the primary back door through which sanctioned Iranian goods, dollars, and oil revenues flow into the global economy.
uncertain
goods → accord → economy
Treasury’s Operation Economic Outcast designations hit several UAE-based entities on day one — that’s a start.
asserted
that → hit → day
But blunt-force designations alone won’t sever centuries of Iranian financial plumbing running through the Gulf.
asserted
designations → sever → Gulf
Trump is reportedly personally contacting world leaders — right instinct.
uncertain
Trump → contact → leaders
The question is whether the follow-through matches the rhetoric.
asserted
through → match → rhetoric
To be frank, it will be extremely difficult to expect the UAE to fully comply with American demands.
asserted
UAE → expect → demands
The two countries have economies that are interwoven and will take a generation to unravel.
asserted
that → have → generation
De-coupling them requires an economic restructuring plan that Abu Dhabi and Dubai have neither the political will nor the financial incentive to implement on America’s timeline.
asserted
Dhabi → De → timeline
Whether or not there is significant sanctions-busting occurring is not the real question.
asserted
is → be → ?
What we should be focused on is what we intend to do about it.
asserted
we → focus → it
China has upgraded its game
If the UAE is the back door, China is the freight elevator.
asserted
China → upgrade → game
The House Select Committee on China’s investigation — Crude Intentions: How China Became the Clearing Market for Sanctioned Oil — documents how Beijing uses shadow fleet tankers, at times crewed by military and intelligence personnel, to hoover up tens of millions of barrels of Iranian crude at deep discounts.
asserted
Beijing → become → discounts
China isn’t just buying oil.
asserted
China → buy → oil
It is running a sophisticated, state-directed sanctions evasion infrastructure operating at the level of industrial-scale financial warfare.
asserted
It → run → warfare
Iran’s shadow fleet operates aging tankers that turn off tracking signals, broadcast false locations, and conduct ship-to-ship transfers in international waters.
asserted
that → operate → waters
China is the anchor buyer that makes the whole system viable.
asserted
system → make → ?
As long as Beijing keeps writing the checks, Tehran keeps the lights on — regardless of what happens in Dubai.
asserted
what → keep → Dubai
Europe, too, has launched its own payment vehicle specifically designed to circumvent U.S. sanctions architecture.
asserted
Europe → launch → architecture
We are not merely fighting Iran.
asserted
We → fight → Iran
We are fighting a global workaround economy that has had years to mature.
asserted
that → fight → years
What a winning strategy looks like
asserted
looks → win → What
None of this means sanctions can’t work.
asserted
sanctions → mean → this
It means they can’t work the way they’re currently structured.
asserted
they → mean → ?
Here is what getting to a good outcome actually requires.
asserted
getting → get → outcome
First, secondary sanctions must be applied — and applied to allies, not just adversaries.
asserted
sanctions → apply → allies
Turkey, India, and the UAE all need to understand that access to the U.S. financial system is not compatible with facilitating Iranian oil revenue.
asserted
access → need → revenue
The administration has the legal authority.
asserted
administration → have → authority
It needs the political will.
asserted
It → need → will
Second, the UAE needs a face-saving off-ramp.
asserted
UAE → need → ramp
Abu Dhabi cannot publicly eviscerate its own economy overnight.
asserted
Dhabi → eviscerate → economy
It needs technical assistance, financial incentives, and intelligence support to systematically dismantle the Iranian front company networks operating on its soil.
asserted
It → need → soil
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
