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Commentary
The Wall Street Journal

Hit Iran in Its Shadow Bank Accounts

Dubai-based financial institutions help Tehran escape sanctions. The US has the means to stop it.

michael_doran
michael_doran
Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East
Michael Doran
Stacks of Iranian rials and US dollars sit counted on a table in Tehran, Iran, on August 6, 2025. (Getty Images) Share to Twitter
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Stacks of Iranian rials and US dollars sit on a table in Tehran, Iran, on August 6, 2025. (Getty Images)

Whether or not President Trump orders a military strike on Iran, he ought to seize the billions of dollars its rulers have hidden offshore. Freezing these assets could have an effect comparable to military attack—at a fraction of the risk.

The U.S. Treasury knows where Iran’s money is, but successive administrations have hesitated to act for fear of damaging relations with a valued ally—the United Arab Emirates. It’s time to reconsider that calculation.

Read the full article in The Wall Street Journal.