Economic warfare: Bankrupting Iran will be more effective than bombing - opinion

Op-ed argues that bankrupting the Iranian regime through economic warfare is more effective than continued bombing. The author claims the war caused $270 billion in damage (57% of GDP) and that cutting off Tehran's financial networks will prevent rebuilding. Trump's 'Operation Economic Fury' imposes secondary sanctions. The piece distinguishes between the regime and the Persian people, advocating for financial strangulation over military strikes.

This op-ed by Dr. Mike Evans argues that the next phase of the US-Israel conflict with Iran should pivot from military bombing to economic warfare. The author claims the war has caused approximately $270 billion in damage, equivalent to 57% of Iran's GDP, and that each additional month of conflict could set the economy back by more than five years. Evans advocates for President Trump's 'Operation Economic Fury,' described as an 'Economic D-Day,' which imposes severe secondary sanctions on any nation or institution facilitating Iranian trade. The piece calls for systematically dismantling Iran's underground financial networks of front companies, shadow banking, and oil smuggling. The central thesis is that bombing destroys what Iran has today, but economic warfare can destroy its ability to rebuild tomorrow. The author distinguishes between the Iranian regime and the Persian people, arguing that cutting off the regime's money will weaken its grip on power and potentially allow Iranians to break free. The op-ed warns against releasing frozen Iranian assets or easing sanctions without concrete, verifiable concessions.