U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that Washington plans to impose measures on Iran “never seen before,” signaling that the United States intends to intensify its campaign of economic isolation and maintain pressure on Iranian ports.
“It will be a combination of economic isolation that the world has never seen before and the continued blockade in the Strait of Hormuz that will prevent anything from coming in or out of Iranian ports,” Bessent said, according to CNN.
His comments indicate that the Trump administration is preparing to combine intensified financial restrictions with the ongoing maritime blockade as Washington seeks to further restrict Iran’s access to international trade.
Bessent also acknowledged that the conflict has contributed to a temporary rise in energy prices, but said he expected prices to decline once the current disruption passes.
“We will get to the other side of this and we will come down,” he said.
President Donald Trump has previously signaled that his administration intends to put Iran under severe economic pressure.
“We’re choking this off,” Trump told Axios over the weekend, adding that Washington was only partially engaged in negotiations with Tehran while pointing to Iran’s high inflation and financial difficulties.
The latest statements come amid an escalating confrontation between Washington and Tehran over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy route, as the United States seeks to restrict Iran’s economic and maritime activity.
