Operation Economic Fury and the battle for a multipolar world
via NewsDay Zimbabwe7 min read
The United States has launched "Operation Economic Fury," an escalation of its economic campaign against Iran, marked by a new executive order signed by President Donald Trump on February 6, 2026. This order imposes a 25% ad valorem tariff on imports from any nation that directly or indirectly acquires goods or services from Iran. This measure, which differs from traditional sanctions by threatening to cut entire countries off from the U.S. market, is seen as a test of the emerging multipolar world order. The broad definition of "indirect" trade aims to target shadow fleets and transshipment hubs, increasing compliance risks across global supply chains. This new tariff regime is the third pillar of the U.S. maximum pressure strategy, following comprehensive sectoral sanctions and an expanded SDN List targeting oil supply-chain actors. The article suggests this framework could be applied against other nations like Russia, China, or African states maintaining ties with Iran. While the U.S. market remains the world's largest, the failure of financial warfare against Russia, which stabilized its economy despite sanctions, indicates that the dollar's dominance is not unassailable. The article discusses countermeasures such as Russia, China, and India boycotting sanctions and shifting trade with Iran to alternative payment systems like CIPS and SPFS, and using commodity-backed settlement systems. For African nations, the U.S. tariff regime presents a choice between trading with Ira
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Must ReadZimbabwe has commissioned a specialized honey testing laboratory to enhance its export competitiveness. This development is part of broader efforts in the country, which include securing duty-free access to China for nearly 9,000 products and ARDA delivering 120,000MT as Zimbabwe prepares for El Ni帽o. Other economic activities include Econet InfraCo expanding its tower rollout and advancing solar projects after its VFEX debut, and Mutapa Gold upgrading its laboratory to reduce exploration costs and boost investor confidence. ART operations have been affected by power outages and raw material shortages, leading to a 6% decline in exports and a 26% decline in paper division volumes in the third quarter to June 2022. New grain levies have been proposed as Zimbabwe addresses climate and food security risks.
Econet InfraCo is expanding its tower rollout and advancing solar projects following its debut on the VFEX. Meanwhile, ART, a manufacturer, reported a decline in export and paper division volumes by 6% and 26% respectively in the third quarter to June 2022, attributing this to power outages and raw material shortages. Zimbabwe has also secured duty-free access to China for nearly 9,000 products and commissioned a specialized honey testing laboratory to boost export competitiveness. Other developments include the government unveiling a five-year tourism strategy, ARDA delivering 120,000MT for El Ni帽o preparedness, and Mutapa Gold upgrading its laboratory to cut exploration costs.
Must ReadZimbabwe has secured duty-free access to the Chinese market for nearly 9,000 product categories under Beijing鈥檚 Pre-Early Harvest Initiative. This arrangement, effective from May 1, 2026, until April 30, 2028, allows qualifying Zimbabwean exports to enter China duty-free under 8,949 tariff lines. Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Soda Zhemu stated that this initiative stems from commitments made by China during the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Zimbabwe has completed the administrative requirements, with ZimTrade issuing certificates of origin and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority verifying compliance. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Amon Murwira noted that the removal of import duties will make Zimbabwean products more competitive in China, but exporters must still meet China鈥檚 stringent regulatory and phytosanitary requirements. The government plans to continue bilateral negotiations during this two-year period to secure a permanent preferential trade agreement after the Pre-Early Harvest Initiative expires.