Sending a financial official to pursue a political agenda is a sign of Washington’s strategic disarray. John Hurley, who is supposed to oversee anti-money laundering mechanisms, has essentially been tasked with advancing political pressure against Iran. The transformation of the Treasury Department into a security tool reveals that the U.S. is pursuing a costlier, non-military method of containing Iran: financial warfare.
This action effectively drags regional economic institutions into geopolitical rivalries, deepening dependence and fear of sanctions, rather than promoting financial transparency.
A Mission with a Pressure Agenda, Not Cooperation
Hurley is set to visit Israel, the UAE, Turkey, and Lebanon. However, his declared goal—“preventing Tehran and its proxy forces from accessing financial resources”—is essentially an indirect threat against all countries that are willing to engage with Iran.
On the surface, the mission appears to focus on combating money laundering and terrorism financing, but in reality, it is a policy designed to create financial fear and sever the economic lifeblood of any independent actor that does not follow Washington’s lead. Recent experience has shown that U.S. secondary sanctions have not only harmed Iran but also victimized legitimate banks and businesses in the region.
Return of "Maximum Pressure" in a New Disguise
Since reviving its economic pressure campaign in February, the Trump administration has clearly aimed to bring Iranian oil exports “to zero.” However, Hurley’s trip shows that this campaign has now expanded into the financial and banking sectors.
Under this model, any regional government engaged in economic dealings with Tehran will come under scrutiny by the U.S. Treasury. This is a rebranding of the maximum pressure strategy, now dressed up as financial diplomacy.
With this approach, Washington effectively positions itself as the “judge of the region’s economy,” challenging the concept of economic sovereignty by intervening in the financial relations of countries.
Iran and the Region's Strategic Response
Iran has long shown that it has the capacity to bypass sanctions, but now the issue is no longer just about Iran. If regional countries remain silent in the face of this financial intervention, their economic independence will also be at risk.
Iran can pursue three strategic pillars in response to this campaign:
Active economic diplomacy to build regional consensus against extraterritorial sanctions;
Development of independent financial infrastructure and use of non-dollar trade systems with Asian partners;
Targeted transparency in foreign trade to neutralize U.S. Treasury excuses.
Such an approach could turn the threat facing Iran into an opportunity to strengthen economic convergence within the Middle East.
NOURNEWS