Long queues formed at petrol stations in Tehran on Tuesday after the United States unveiled a fresh wave of sanctions aimed at forcing Iran into submission amid a war that has stalled militarily six months in. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the measures, describing them as a campaign of "economic asphyxiation" designed to "sever every economic lifeline" sustaining the Iranian government, with Washington also pressing other countries to cut ties with Tehran or risk being isolated themselves.

The new sanctions target Iran's digital assets, technology, gold, aviation and shipping sectors, alongside 60 individuals, companies and vessels accused of helping Iran generate oil revenue, procure weapons and conduct cyber operations, hitting entities as far afield as the UAE, Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Europe. China, a major buyer of Iranian oil, said it opposed the move and vowed to protect its interests, while Tehran dismissed the threat, predicting "another defeat" for Washington. The pressure comes as Iran, already suffering high inflation and unrest after a deadly government crackdown on protests earlier in the year, faces renewed fears of fresh demonstrations, with US President Donald Trump separately condemning recent executions linked to the protests as a "humanitarian crisis."