U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Thursday that Washington is preparing to impose economic pressure on Iran on an unprecedented scale, with new measures expected to be announced next week.
Speaking to conservative network Newsmax, Bessent said the planned strategy would combine sweeping economic isolation with a continued blockade of Iranian ports through the Strait of Hormuz.
“It will be a combination of economic isolation, like the world has never seen before,” Bessent said, adding that the blockade would prevent goods from entering or leaving Iranian ports.
He urged viewers to expect further announcements next week, signaling that Washington is preparing additional financial and economic measures against Tehran.
Bessent described the approach as having two main components: intensifying financial pressure on Iran and maintaining a physical blockade of its ports.
The announcement comes as the Trump administration seeks to pressure Tehran over the ongoing conflict. Vice President JD Vance said earlier that Washington’s top priority was bringing down oil and gasoline prices for American consumers, while preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon ranked second.
Bessent’s latest remarks mark a sharper stance than his comments on August 4, when he told CNBC that an agreement with Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could be reached within days.
Those earlier comments helped lift U.S. stocks while pushing oil prices lower, reflecting investor expectations that tensions around the key energy route could ease.
