Proposed plans include a rail connection, a one-hour increase in operations, extra parking, and a hotel

Draft proposals have been unveiled for the extension of Belfast City Airport, as local councils have been notified, and they also want to hear from the general public.

The airport has submitted Proposal of Application Notices (PANs) to Belfast City Council and Ards and North Down Borough Council, setting out the next step in delivering its Master Plan 2040 vision.

The PAN submissions relate to the proposed outline and full planning applications, with this submission the first step in the planning process, where formal consultation on draft plans will take place to inform any future planning applications.

As well as this, the airport said it will also undertake a voluntary public consultation on proposed changes to its current planning agreement, which is governed by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI). This will give the community an opportunity to comment on the full package of draft proposals.

The draft Master Plan 2040 could see the airport become the first on the island of Ireland to be connected by rail. Plans also include extended terminal and airfield facilities, surface access improvements and complementary development, including a hotel and increased EV charging facilities.

The plan has been described as having the potential to unlock up to £200 million in private investment, support thousands of new jobs and deliver a £1.7 billion injection into the Northern Ireland economy annually.

It comes amid predictions that demand for air travel across the island of Ireland will double to 90 million passengers per year by 2040.

Those projections would require Belfast City Airport to grow to seven million passengers over the same period, ensuring the Northern Ireland capital retains and expands its connectivity to the UK and Europe.

To this end the airport is also seeking views on moving the annual cap on aircraft movements from 48,000 to 61,000.

As well as this, the airport is seeking a one-hour increase in scheduled operations, moving from a 15-hour day to a 16-hour day, with scheduled movements allowed up to 10.30pm, whilst maintaining the current no-fly period between midnight and 6.29am.

Any changes to the airport’s planning agreement will be considered by the DfI.

To support such growth, the draft proposals include new airfield infrastructrue and the enhancement of passenger facilities, including additional parking, and complementary airport uses including a hotel.

Matthew Hall, Chief Executive at Belfast City Airport, said: “Extended operating hours and increased annual traffic movement limits are critical for Belfast City Airport to be able to meet the forecast increase in demand for air travel and enable it to unlock the associated benefits, including increased connectivity to the UK and Europe.

“They are also essential to support the investment needed to deliver the infrastructure required for the airport’s long-term growth.

“The proposed changes would provide the operational flexibility required to facilitate airline schedules and future route development, while continuing to operate within a framework that recognises the importance of balancing growth with our commitment to being a responsible neighbour.

“These draft infrastructure proposals have been designed to support the airport’s growth in a way that is balanced and mindful of our surroundings and, importantly, do not include any extension to the existing runway.”

Subject to feedback receieved during the consultation, it is likely that planning applications will be submitted to Belfast City Council and Ards and North Down Borough Council later this year.

Further information will be provided in the coming weeks as the airport undertakes an extensive programme of community consultation, including public information events. Feedback received during the consultation will help inform the final proposals.

Matthew finished: “We recognise the long-standing relationship we have with our local communities, and we are committed to maintaining an open and constructive dialogue as these plans progress.

“By working closely with residents, businesses, elected representatives and other stakeholders, we can help ensure the airport continues to deliver for Northern Ireland while being a considerate and responsible neighbour.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

By KATHERINE LAWTON, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER and MARK DUELL, DEPUTY CHIEF REPORTER (DIGITAL)

Published: 17:39 BST, 24 August 2026 | Updated: 01:39 BST, 25 August 2026

The mystery surrounding Meghan Markle‘s potential role in Guy Ritchie‘s The Gentleman on Netflix has deepened after he confirmed the third series of the show without mentioning her. 

Meghan, 45, was reported by a Hollywood website last Friday to be in preliminary talks over a possible role in the gangster hit’s third series. 

The news came two days after the duchess and Prince Harry were revealed to be returning to the UK for an indefinite period, with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, starting school in the UK next month.

Royal author Tina Brown claimed on Saturday that Meghan’s offer of a role had already been withdrawn because the ‘backlash was so intense it became untenable’. 

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It came as industry experts claimed talk of Meghan being linked with a role in the show could have been leaked as a cynical PR tactic to create a buzz around her upcoming arrival in the UK. 

Variety today confirmed that season three of The Gentlemen is happening, adding that casting is yet to be confirmed. 

Ritchie also gave a statement to the magazine, in which he made no mention of the duchess. 

‘The ambition of “The Gentlemen” has accelerated, the world has expanded and the consequences carry weight,’ he said. 

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‘A third season felt inevitable, and I’m looking forward to pushing the boundaries of it further.’ 

Meghan played lawyer Rachel Zane for seven seasons of the US legal drama Suits

Netflix declined to comment on Meghan’s potential involvement in the show when approached by the Daily Mail. 

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Ritchie will be returning to direct season three of the show, which he co-writes with Matthew Read. 

Meghan today continued her publicity blitz with a new video on her As Ever Instagram page – showing her picking apples as ‘a little hint of what’s coming’ – as the Royal Family, including the King, carried on their summer holidays in Balmoral.

The claim of the duchess being in The Gentlemen was made hours after an Australian journalist said she was eyeing a return to acting as part of her move back to Britain.

Bosses at Netflix are believed to have been unaware of any potential offer to the duchess for The Gentlemen, suggesting she spoke directly with Ritchie.

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Speculation has been mounting that these apparent conversations were used to make it appear that Meghan is in demand and her relationship with Netflix is strong and ongoing.

PR expert Mark Borkowski said he felt ‘the timing of this has an ulterior motive to do what it’s doing, to generate as much attention as possible without saying anything at all’, given the revelations are happening at a quieter time of the news cycle in August.

Prince Harry and Meghan visit the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne in April

The Gentlemen is a Netflix gangster series starring Kaya Scodelario and Theo James

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Addressing claims that the leak was deliberate, he told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s totally plausible because there’s not been a single quote from the production, so they’re enjoying all the publicity, it’s good for them.

‘So there must have been – even if it was a stunt – a tacit arrangement that they were going to do this between publicists. What a good idea for everybody that we bask in the glow of attention.’

Mr Borkowski added: ‘There was a sort of denial that she was being given the part, but she’s got enough contacts in Netflix to do this. So everything feels like a series of pseudo events.

‘We know that the press in August is lighter, Parliament isn’t sitting, so they’ve actually got their own Bayeux Tapestry weaving various narratives without saying anything.

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‘It does strike me that they’re having a good old time raising awareness, trying the media and getting instant feedback. It’s a free marketing overview for their brand, it’s research.’

Harry and Meghan have not commented on their reasons for relocating to the UK. 

Raquel Lee Bolleau, who began her career in Hollywood as a child actor on shows like The Amanda Show and The Proud Family, is suing Disney, alleging that a former employee raped her in 2001 while she was working on the film The Poof Point.

The actor, now 39, filed the lawsuit on Friday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. It accuses Disney of negligence, and further claims that a “middle-aged, male employee” working on the film groomed, sexually harassed, and raped her during the production, NBC News reports.

She claims in the lawsuit that the male employee was more than twice her age. The employee was not named in the lawsuit and is referred to as John Doe.

The male employee allegedly gave Bolleau alcohol and assaulted her while the cast of the film was in Salt Lake City and again on a flight from Salt Lake City back to California.

According to the lawsuit, the film’s director, Neal Israel — who also directed the 1984 Tom Hanks film Bachelor Party and wrote for the sequel to Look Who’s Talking, titled Look Who’s Talking Too — allegedly told Bolleau to “bond with, get close to, and trust” the male employee.

“Disney authorized sexual harassment on set, permitting sexualized jokes, commentary, fondling, and excessive touching,” the lawsuit claims. “[The employee] regularly made sexually explicit jokes and commentary on the set of a children’s movie and around children. No one from Disney even attempted to curb Mr. Doe’s inappropriate and sexualized commentary.”

The lawsuit continues, claiming that “Mr. Doe’s sexual abuse of Ms. Bolleau was apparent to the adults on Disney’s set,” and that “Disney repeatedly failed Ms. Bolleau.”

The Independent has requested comment from Disney.

Bolleau claims in the lawsuit that she was “exhausted, often intoxicated, hungover, or vomiting on set” during the production and that Disney did not provide her medical care. The lawsuit also claims that Disney executives accused Bolleau of “being ‘out of control’” on set and “causing the movie to go ‘haywire’.” She says executives said she needed “Jesus” and of “having a ‘demon inside her.’”

“Disney recognized Ms. Bolleau’s sudden shift in demeanor and performance — clear indicia of child sexual abuse — and attacked, blamed and threatened Ms. Bolleau, a victim of rape, and Ms. Bolleau’s mother,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit also claims that the abuse Bolleau suffered led to Disney cancelling her role in another production after The Poof Point, and stunted her career due to the “trauma of returning to a set.”

The lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages.

Between 2022 and 2026, Lee appeared in the Disney Channel revival show The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, and she was also featured in the documentary Quiet on the Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, during which she gave her perspective on being a Black child actor on The Amanda Show.

He told BBC Scotland: “I turned 50 recently and I got a letter through the post with a bowel screening test.

“I understand the PSA test (a blood test that can help detect prostate cancer) isn’t perfect, you know you can get results – not false positives, but it can be that men can be treated when they maybe didn’t need to be treated.

“But actually, I think that’s not a diagnosis issue, that’s a treatment issue, that’s a decision for the doctors to make.

“I think knowing your situation is really important.”

Hoy said 10,000 men a year in the UK find out too late that they have prostate cancer.

He said there should be some kind of formal process to at least make men take responsibility and ownership and to understand their personal risk.

“In the short term, until something more proactive happens you’ve got to take it on your own shoulders,” he said.

“It’s not what you want to think about and it’s always the thing you push down the list of priorities. You forget about it because life’s busy.”

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police investigating sexual assault allegations against the late Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed have submitted a file of evidence concerning one suspect to prosecutors.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will now consider whether charges should be brought against the suspect but has not given a timeframe for when a decision is expected.

The Met emailed groups representing Fayed’s survivors on Monday, saying: “Met Police detectives have today submitted a full evidential file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for a charging decision.

“The file relates to one suspect, a man in his 80s, and relates to two indecent assaults on two women in London. Officers will continue to work closely with CPS prosecutors as the case progresses.

“To date, seven suspects have been interviewed under caution on suspicion of offences including aiding and abetting rape and sexual assault, assisting in the commission of sexual offences, and human trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation.

“This remains a complex and highly sensitive investigation. Our focus is on pursuing all available lines of enquiry, maintaining the integrity of the investigation, and supporting those who have come forward.”

The force has been dealing with at least 156 alleged victims who contacted them directly, including 21 who came forward before the former Harrods owner died in 2023 at the age of 94 without facing any charges.

A spokesman from the Fayed survivor group, No One Above, said: “We call on the Met to confirm it is securing evidence on all perpetrators and co-conspirators – including the financial and documentary evidence of how victims were recruited, screened, moved, harboured and silenced.”

More than 400 allegations of sexual misconduct have been made against Fayed, dating between 1977 and 2014, including sexual assault, rape, sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

The investigation, known as Operation Cornpoppy, was launched in November 2024 and is looking at people who may have facilitated or enabled Al Fayed’s crimes.

Seven people have been questioned under caution: four women in their 40s, 50s, 60s and 80s, and three men in their 60s, 70s and 80s.

Harrods was sold by Al Fayed in 2010.

Brian Hickerson’s troubled history with violence allegedly stretched back years before he began dating Hayden Panettiere – including a 2010 altercation over which he was charged alongside his brother and father, the Daily Mail can reveal. 

Now, Brian’s older half-sister Ashley has opened up about the other side of her brother and why she believes the actress repeatedly returned to him despite the violence that plagued their years-long relationship. 

‘If I can say one thing about Brian, it’s that he is the most charismatic person and he draws you in,’ Ashley Hickerson, who shares a father with her half-siblings Brian and his brother Zachary, told the Daily Mail exclusively. 

Panettiere, 36, died of an apparent overdose in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday where she had been staying in an Airbnb. Both Brian and Zachary, with whom Panettiere also allegedly had a brief secret romance, were at the scene when she was declared dead. 

‘I get why Hayden was with him,’ Ashley said. ‘Brian is just the type of person who can make you laugh no matter what and he can be fun. 

‘We all have our demons. Brian was not raised that way. It wasn’t until he got into drugs that he went south.’

The 36-year-old actress tragically passed away on August 16 after suffering cardiac arrest from a suspected drug overdose 

But the troubling incidents involving Brian began years before their romance, the Daily Mail has learned. 

South Carolina records show that Hickerson, then 21, was charged in November 2010 with two counts of third-degree assault and battery by mob stemming from an incident nine days earlier in the family’s Greenville hometown. 

His father, David Hickerson, now 72, and Zachary, 38, were hit with the same charges stemming from the same incident. 

The obscure charges appear to have left little subsequent public record, and their ultimate disposition is unclear. 

The Daily Mail has contacted David, Brian and Zachary Hickerson for comment. 

Ashley confirmed to the Daily Mail that her family remembers the event.

‘Some people caused a riot with them in 2010,’ she said, adding: ‘That’s what my dad told me.’

Ashley Hickerson recalled the 2010 incident involving then 21-year-old Brian, brother Zachary, and their father. She described Brian as ‘charismatic’ and ‘fun’, adding that ‘it wasn’t until he got into drugs that he went south’ 

A heavily redacted police report released Tuesday revealed Brian Hickerson (left) and his brother Zachary (right) were with Panettiere inside a luxury Greenville apartment complex loft when she was pronounced dead

Eight years later, more violent confrontations also appear to have erupted within the Hickerson family.

In August 2018, RadarOnline obtained 911 logs indicating that Brian and Zachary got into a fight at Panettiere’s Hollywood Hills home.

Then, in October 2018, police were called to another violent scene involving Brian, this time at his family’s Greenville home while Panettiere was there.

The confrontation between Brian and his father David was reported at the time.

But an apparently overlooked passage in the police report reveals that trouble had already surfaced in Brian’s relationship with Panettiere.

During the investigation, Panettiere told the responding officer that Hickerson had ‘destroyed her kitchen’ the previous April.

Panettiere had traveled from Los Angeles to Greenville, South Carolina, with Brian, who is from the area, the day before her death

Ashley Hickerson and brother Zach Hickerson in an Instagram photo 

Ashley opened up about the troubled man Hayden Panettiere repeatedly returned to despite his history of violence

That disclosure came months before allegations that Brian had physically abused Panettiere became public.

A cop had been dispatched to the Hickerson home shortly before midnight on October 26 following a report of a ‘domestic assault in progress,’ according to the police report. 

Looking through the large front windows before entering, he saw David Hickerson with what appeared to be blood on his face.

Brian was behind him holding an object in both hands and ‘it appeared that he might be chasing’ his father through the kitchen, the officer wrote.

Panettiere, then in the early months of her relationship with Brian, was inside and appeared ‘frantic’ when cops arrived and she struggled to unlock the front door for police, the report said.

Brian was ‘visibly agitated, trembling and flexing his body and cursing’ when the officer confronted him, according to the report.

Once inside, the officer handcuffed Brian as he tried to establish what had happened.

Brian denied assaulting his father.

David Hickerson likewise declined to accuse his son and said his injuries resulted from a fall, although the report stated that the bruising on David’s face ‘appeared to be severe.’

The police report ultimately records the case as ‘exceptionally cleared’ because the victim declined to cooperate.

But Panettiere’s statement about her own kitchen – which came in a follow-up interview with Greenville police – provides a window into problems between the couple before the domestic violence that would later become public.

Brian was arrested multiple times beginning in May 2019 over alleged violence against Panettiere before pleading no contest in 2021 to two felony counts of injuring a partner.

Both Brian and Zach Hickerson were at the apartment where she died, the Daily Mail learned  

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Two Greenville police officers were snapped arriving at the South Carolina home linked to Brian and Zach Hickerson for a welfare check Wednesday morning, the Daily Mail revealed

An officer was seen knocking on the door of the four-bedroom home repeatedly but received no response from anyone inside  

The couple were staying at the swanky Judson Mill apartment complex where she was later found unresponsive on August 16

He was sentenced to 45 days in county jail, serving 13 days, as well as four years’ probation and 52 domestic-violence classes.

Panettiere later spoke publicly about the abuse and the complicated bond that repeatedly drew her back to Brian.

Brian himself has also taken responsibility for his actions.

‘I got arrested for abusing her,’ Brian said in an interview with TMZ in May this year after Panettiere’s memoir was published, adding that he wouldn’t blame Panettiere’s friends for being angry with him.

When discussing with TMZ one particularly ugly episode that Panettiere hadincluded in the memoir, Brian acknowledged: ‘I did it. I did it.’

Ashley pointed out that her brother had owned up to his actions in the past and had worked on his issues.

Panettiere later spoke publicly about the abuse and the complicated bond that repeatedly drew her back to Hickerson

‘He is the type of person – he did seek treatment and he was getting help,’ Ashley told the Daily Mail. ‘He did own up to his s**t.’

She said she understood the attraction that repeatedly drew Panettiere back to her brother.

His charm, she said, could be extraordinary, despite the violent behavior that she said came from substance abuse.

Despite the well-publicized troubles between Brian and Panettiere, Ashley said the Hickerson family is now grieving her death.

‘A massive tragedy has happened,’ she said.

‘My family is really feeling this loss as well. If I could be with them I would.’

She said their father David, who was himself at the center of the bloody 2018 confrontation, has been particularly affected.

‘My dad is devastated,’ she said. ‘He’s taken it pretty hard.’

Ashley, who has served in the Navy since 2006 and works in military police, stressed that the violent episodes did not reflect the family in which Brian grew up.

‘My family, they are amazing people,’ she said. ‘I’m very protective of them.

‘My family and every family have their own issues.’

Dyfed-Powys police officers seized 12 illegally used e-scooters and an e-bike on Wednesday, August 12 – Focusing on local hotspots in Station Road, North Dock, and Penyfan area.

Dyfed-Powys Connects survey results showed that since July, the use of E-Bikes and E-Scooters was the top issue reported locally.

Working alongside the Carmarthenshire roads policing unit, the operation formed part of their response to not only the issue but the ongoing work to improve road safety, protect pedestrians, and tackle the illegal use of electric vehicles in public spaces.

Local Neighbourhood Policing and Prevention Team Sergeant Tom Grace shared: “Our aim isn’t simply to seize these types of vehicles, our operations focus on three key elements; education around the law, prevent collisions and keep everyone using Llanelli’s roads and public spaces safe.

“Using electric scooters and bikes cause a real risk to both the riders and members of the public.

“If you are considering buying or using an E-scooter or E-bike, make sure you understand the law first. Even on well-known hight street retailer websites, often they will highlight the law for you, giving you a legal warning before you even add one to your basket.

“Riders using an E-scooter illegally may face a fine, penalty points and seizure of the scooter. Remember, they can only be used on private land with the landowner’s permission.

“Whilst not every e-bike is illegal, it must meet the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC) requirements, otherwise it may be treated as a motor vehicle.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the incident are ongoing

A cyclist was injured in a crash and cars were damaged moments before a driver was seen travelling down the wrong side of a Welsh A-road. Police officers encountered the vehicle travelling on the wrong side of the A55 on Anglesey on Monday evening.

The officers from North Wales Police were travelling on the correct side of the road and safely brought the vehicle to a stop.

One man has been arrested in connection with the incident and remains in police custody while enquiries continue.

The A55 was temporarily closed while officers dealt with the incident and ensured the road was safe to reopen. Always keep on top of the latest Welsh news with our newsletter

North Wales Police said that prior to the vehicle entering the A55, a person was knocked off a bicycle on London Road in Holyhead.

They were taken to hospital and have suffered non-life threatening injuries.

A number of parked cars were also damaged.

North Wales Police confirmed no collisions happened as a result of the vehicle travelling in the wrong direction on the A55.

A spokesman for the force added: “Enquiries into the circumstances of the incident are ongoing, and no further details are available at this time.”

It comes after seven people – including two police officers – died in a crash on the A66.

PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed after the Volkswagen Passat, travelling the wrong way along the carriageway in South Bank, struck their marked police vehicle, which was heading in the correct direction.

In light of this, North Wales Police said: “North Wales Police acknowledge in light of the recent events that have taken place involving Cleveland police the feelings that this incident may attract.

“We would like to offer our condolences to all those effected by those tragic events.”

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Manchester United’s hunt for a left-back continues and Alejandro Balde has been cited as an option

Manchester United have made an offer for Barcelona starlet Alejandro Balde, according to reports. Mundo Deportivo have claimed that the Catalan academy graduate is the subject of various offers including one from Michael Carrick’s side.

Before Balde opts to leave the Nou Camp, it has been said that the 22-year-old wants to know if he isn’t needed within Hansi Flick’s side before deciding his future.

United have been widely mooted with left-back reinforcements, while Matthias Jaissle shot down reports that Lewis Hall would swap the North East for the North West. ESPN has reported that club sources at Old Trafford have dismissed the chances of securing Balde but the reigning La Liga champions have been made aware of the interest.

Balde’s future remains precarious after being left out of the emphatic 5-0 win in their curtain-raiser against Elche.

Speaking post-match, Flick admitted that the Catalan was left out of the squad to clear his mind amid the ongoing transfer speculation. He said: “We have to manage the minutes, I hope to have six players who can play 90 minutes.

“I spoke with Balde this morning and told him that I think he’s not here at 100%, clear your mind and then we’ll talk.”

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Reports claim that the German wants to hold face-to-face meetings with the full-back before making a decision on his future. Meanwhile, Balde is wanting assurances over his playing time with Joao Cancelo and Xavi Espart competing for a starting berth, and it is reported that a meeting with Flick is taking place on Monday night.

United would prefer a season-long loan if Balde was made available, ESPN has suggested, with the option to make a move permanent.

It has been said that the Spanish giants value his services up to £34million. Luke Shaw is the current starting left-back for United but Carrick faces the need to add reinforcements at the back, with their midfield options increasing as Carlos Baleba closes in on a move.

United got off to a losing start in Carrick’s first match as permanent head coach and Shaw was among those to feature in the 2-0 defeat at Hull.

On the defeat, he said: “Disappointing, I think we knew Hull’s strengths, Set-plays and wide positions and crosses into the box. At times we did defend well, but the goals, set-plays, not good enough.

“We knew they were going to be good from set-plays and ultimately it’s cost us the three points.”

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By JON MICHAEL RAASCH, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT

Published: 18:17 BST, 24 August 2026 | Updated: 00:22 BST, 25 August 2026

The Trump administration unveiled its ‘economic D-Day’ plan intended to decimate Iran‘s already teetering monetary environment with what has been dubbed the ‘toughest sanctions in history.’

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on Monday afternoon that the US would roll out sanctions against countries and entities that do any business with the Islamic Republic.

‘The United States Treasury has begun Operation Economic Outcast, an unprecedented campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its enablers,’ Bessent said at a press conference.

‘We are launching an economic onslaught on Iran’s connections around the globe. Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.’

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The drastic escalation could prompt nations and businesses to sever their remaining trade ties to Tehran to maintain access to the US financial system. 

China and others have continued to purchase Iranian oil during the war despite warnings from US officials, and the announcement serves as a notice that those transactions could elicit economic consequences.

The new sanctions target digital assets, technology, gold, aviation and shipping, Bessent shared.

‘No one is above the reach of US sanctions,’ Bessent said when asked about China’s trade ties to Tehran. ‘It is now time for world leaders to make a decision between America and Iran.’

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unveiled on Monday new sanctions on countries and entities that do business with Iran

The announcement sent the Iranian currency – the rial – plummeting to its lowest rate in history

One US dollar now can purchase over 1.3 million Iranian rials, according to currency exchanges

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Bessent had been signaling for a week that the move would be the ‘toughest sanctions in history,’ saying that the new economic crackdown could replace ‘kinetic’ strikes that have been a hallmark of the nearly six-month war. 

The gambit is intended to pressure nations still doing business with Iran in hopes that the additional sanctions will cripple the nation’s economy and bring its leadership back to the negotiating table with US counterparts.

The move also serves as a final warning to countries still doing business with Iran that they could be swept up in the US-Iran conflict if they continue trading with Tehran.

While the US has been sanctioning Iran for decades, the new additional categories of sanctioned goods and services open up the regime’s trading partners to new penalties.

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‘We’re winning against everyone, including Iran, whose Country is in an economic and military death spiral,’ Trump posted on social media Monday. 

While Iran has been under strict US sanctions for years, the regime has devised ways to avoid crackdowns on its oil, aviation, weapons and cryptocurrency sectors. 

While the sanctions restrict Iran from accessing the dollar-based financial system, the country has set up shell companies and other fronts to avoid them. 

Bessent warned that anyone who offers a financial lifeline to Iran could be at risk of being targeted by US sanctions. 

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‘The United States Treasury has begun Operation Economic Outcast, an unprecedented campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its enablers,’ Bessent said at a press conference

The shift from kinetic military operations to maximum-pressure economic sanctions signals the administration’s willingness to fight Tehran with fiscal means

The war will reach its six-month mark at the end of this week on August 28

The announcement prompted Iran’s currency, the rial, to drop to historic new lows. 

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As of Monday afternoon, 1.3 million rials can purchase a single US dollar, according to currency exchanges.

The nation has been suffering from skyrocketing inflation since the war broke out and Trump imposed a strict blockade on the Islamic Republic. 

The administration’s focus on sanctions may signal a new phase of the nearly six-month war. 

Absent a peace deal after negotiations fell through last month, the US has been reluctant to continue strikes against Iran. 

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The new sanctions give the US additional leverage over Iran by targeting its trade partners in hopes that the fallout will prompt the regime’s leadership to resume peace talks.