U.S. Treasury Secretary: Iran Is in a State of Panic and Has 3 Options

Al-Taj News – U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he expects Iran to be in a state of “panic” under the weight of economic and military pressure, saying that Tehran has three options, including returning to the negotiating table.

Bessent said the options available to Iran are for the Revolutionary Guard to turn against itself, for the people to turn against it, or for Tehran to return to negotiations to reach an agreement it can abide by.

He added that Iran’s resort to military action comes amid the economic pressures it is facing, stressing that Washington will continue to tighten pressure on Tehran.

Banking Sanctions and Pressure on the Revolutionary Guard

As part of the latest economic pressure measures, Bessent said he expects the United States to announce sanctions on an Iranian bank this week, followed by another bank next week.

Speaking on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, he said Washington is consulting with its allies, who have expressed their readiness to take additional measures, noting that it has received broad support.

He added that the United States is also considering targeting aircraft leasing companies and other entities that deal with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

He said Washington is “tracking the Revolutionary Guard’s assets,” stressing that U.S. policy toward the Iranian regime is based on “no leniency,” and pledging to continue applying economic pressure on it.

Bessent had told Reuters on Sunday that the U.S. Treasury Department would likely move to impose new secondary sanctions on Iran on a weekly basis, with the first phase focused on banks.

He added that the next step could involve completely cutting an entity’s ties with the dollar-based financial system.