Economic D-Day: China and the Limits of Sanctions

Iran is running out of money, fuel and potentially time. But Washington’s “Economic D-Day” may have one major weakness. The Trump administration is targeting Iran’s remaining economic lifelines with sweeping new sanctions, as the rial crashes, food inflation soars and Iranians wait hours for fuel. Yet China continues buying roughly 90% of Iranian oil exports, raising the question of whether economic pressure alone can actually bring down the regime. Emily Schrader breaks down why sanctions may need a “second front” involving the Iranian people themselves, and what could ultimately turn economic collapse into regime collapse. Plus, Emily responds to a Daily Caller article targeting her reporting on J.D. Vance’s donor network, and examines controversies involving the U.N., Abdul El-Sayed’s Senate campaign and CAIR’s 9/11 educational materials.