U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced in an Aug. 24 press conference the start of "Operation Economic Outcast," which is designed to increase economic pressure on Iran by introducing secondary sanctions on digital assets, technology, gold, aviation and shipping, as well as sanctions on over 60 additional entities. Although Bessent said the United States would not allow any sanctions leakage, he did not name any countries the United States was asking to halt "specific" trade with Iran, nor did he say whether the United States would target Chinese banks facilitating trade and transactions with Iran.