Washington, D.C. [US], May 4 (ANI): U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said that the United States is currently “suffocating” Iran through intense financial and economic constraints, predicting that the leadership in Tehran is nearing a point of collapse.
In an interview with Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, the Treasury Secretary indicated that the pressure campaign has reached a critical phase. “We have been running a marathon over the past 12 months, and now we are sprinting toward the finish line,” Bessent said.
He further noted internal strain on the Iranian military, stating, “They are not able to pay their soldiers. This is a real economic blockade.”
With direct military strikes currently paused, the administration’s strategy has shifted toward an aggressive squeeze on the Islamic Republic’s economy. This includes a naval blockade aimed at halting oil exports, which serves to deprive the regime of its primary source of income.
Bessent suggested that Iran’s petroleum sector is facing an imminent crisis and may be forced to begin shutting in wells “in the next week,” as the nation’s crude storage is “rapidly filling up.”
The Treasury Secretary highlighted the deteriorating state of the country’s industrial assets, noting, “Their oil infrastructure is starting to creak.” He attributed this decline to long-term isolation, adding, “It hasn’t been maintained, again, because of our decades-long sanctions against them.”
According to Bessent, maritime restrictions have been highly effective, ensuring that no ships are getting through the strait from the Iranian side.
He also emphasized a crackdown on financial networks, stating, “We have upped the pressure on anyone trying to remit money into Iran to help the IRGC,” referring to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
He dismissed the significance of the fees Tehran has attempted to collect from vessels passing through the region, describing the tolls as “a pittance” compared with the massive losses in oil revenue.
Reports suggest that officials in Tehran have already begun scaling back crude production to prevent storage facilities from reaching full capacity.
President Donald Trump indicated over the weekend that the most recent offers from Tehran would not be sufficient to secure a diplomatic breakthrough. The U.S. position remains firm that any potential agreement must include an end to Iran’s nuclear program, despite Iran’s consistent denials of seeking a nuclear weapon. (ANI)
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