US Treasury Secretary Warns of Historic Economic D-Day Against Iran

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that the United States is preparing to impose economic sanctions targeting even countries that trade with Iran, describing it as potentially the largest financial offensive in history.

In an opinion piece published in the Financial Times newspaper on August 23, he wrote, "At dawn, the economic D-Day begins — this is the largest financial offensive ever waged against an enemy," and warned that countries continuing economic and financial dealings with Iran could face consequences, according to the US Treasury Secretary.

Currently, although military clashes between the US and Iran have halted in recent weeks, there are no concrete negotiations to end the conflict that has been ongoing for six months.

Since February 28, attacks by the US and Israel have killed thousands of people in Iran and Lebanon, damaged parts of Iran's military capabilities and infrastructure, and also resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

However, Iran still retains sufficient missile and drone capabilities to attack Gulf neighboring countries and threaten oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, causing maritime traffic through the critical strait to nearly come to a standstill, with impacts on global fuel prices.

On Iran's side, it has prepared in advance for US economic sanctions and has warned that it will carry out severe military retaliation.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei stated, "If the economic war continues, not a single drop of oil will leave through the Strait of Hormuz or anywhere in the Persian Gulf," and added that any country participating in or assisting the US economic war would be considered as committing an act of war against Iran.

The US Treasury Secretary has urged China to cooperate with the United States, but a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington responded that sanctions and pressure cannot resolve the problem and that diplomatic means should be used instead.

Ref & Photo; Reuters