WASHINGTON (Gray DC) – Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that “Operation Economic Outcast,” the Treasury Department’s effort to isolate Iran economically, is working, even as China continues trade ties with Iran.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the operation early last week, describing it as an effort to achieve the total economic isolation of Iran from global trade and finance and force Iran back to the negotiating table.
Gray Media’s White House correspondent Jon Decker asked Vance on Thursday whether any country besides the UAE had joined in isolating Iran, and how the operation could succeed without China’s participation.
“Well, first of all, you do have, I think the Chinese, the PRC being willing to to play ball here,” Vance said.
Vance said other countries are also involved.
“But it’s not just the PRC. If you look at Turkey, if you look at Azerbaijan, if you look at, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, a lot of the Gulf Arab coalition, but if you look all across the world, we’re actually seeing a lot of countries. Sometimes they’re not willing to say so publicly, but privately they’re doing a lot of good things to help us ensure that the Iranians pay a penalty for firing on commercial shipping,” Vance said.
Last week, Secretary Bessent called the sanctions against Iran, “the toughest sanctions in history.” China buys more than 80% of Iran’s oil exports and is not cooperating with the sanctions.
China and neighboring Pakistan have said they will not comply with the U.S. sanctions and intend to continue trade ties with Iran.
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