U.S. Sanctions on Iran Take a New Approach

Peter Zeihan 5 min

The U.S. aims to make life difficult for the Iranian population so they will rebel and overthrow the government. Two arrogant and increasingly isolated men are pretending that they know what's going on.

  • Xi Jinping

Chapters

  1. 0:00

    New Sanctions Targeting Iranian Population

    The U.S. Treasury announced sanctions against anyone assisting Iranian aircraft globally, aiming to deny access rather than pressure the regime. The intent is to make life difficult for the Iranian population so they will rebel and overthrow the government. The Iranian military combined with the IRGC has over a million people under arms designed to occupy their own country. Only about 50% of the Iranian population is actually Persian, with the rest being Kurds and Baluchis. There have been only a half dozen regime changes in human history in this part of the world. Measures like banning GRE tests show how few levers exist if one actually wants to change the government.

  2. 2:32

    China's Role as Primary Goods Source

    China is the primary source for most manufactured goods flowing into Iran, including parts needed for drones. Chairman Xi Jinping will be in Washington for bilateral talks with Trump on the 24th. The Trump administration has systematically gutted all institutions that help the president make decisions. Xi purged these systems a decade ago and has been operating in the dark in most international affairs.

  3. 4:41

    Arrogant Leaders Pretending to Know Details

    Two arrogant and increasingly isolated men are pretending that they know what's going on.

Key points

  • 0:00

    Anyone assisting Iranian aircraft is immediately purged from the U.S. dollar system.

  • 0:00

    The intent is to make life difficult for the Iranian population so they will rebel.

  • 0:00

    The Iranian military combined with the IRGC has well over a million people under arms.

  • 0:00

    It is designed to occupy their own country to prevent various groups from rising up.

  • 0:00

    Only about 50% of the Iranian population is actually Persian.

  • 0:00

    There have been only a half dozen regime changes in human history in this part of the world.

  • 2:32

    China is the primary source for most manufactured goods flowing into Iran.

  • 2:32

    Chairman Xi Jinping will be in Washington for bilateral talks with Trump on the 24th.

  • 2:32

    The Trump administration has systematically gutted all institutions that help the president make decisions.

  • 2:32

    Xi purged these systems a decade ago and has been operating in the dark in most international affairs.

  • 4:41

    Two arrogant and increasingly isolated men are pretending that they know what's going on.

On the map

Map of the places in “U.S. Sanctions on Iran Take a New Approach”

Who and where

Places · 5

  • People's Republic of China 8
  • Iran 6
  • United States 3
  • Washington, D.C. 2
  • Russia 1

People · 1

  • Drawing of Xi Jinping

    Xi Jinping 1

    General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party since 2012 (born 1953)

    Photo 1

1. Photo: Presidencia de la República del Ecuador, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons · Wikidata · redrawn in our house style (Xi Jinping)

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