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The United States has threatened to impose unprecedented economic isolation on Iran, with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warning that Washington could take new measures against Tehran as early as next week.
In an interview with conservative television network Newsmax on Thursday night, Bessent said Iran would face a level of economic isolation “the world has never seen before.”
“This will be a coordinated form of economic isolation that the world has never seen before,” Bessent said. “With the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, nothing will be able to enter or leave Iran’s ports.”
“Wait for more announcements next week,” he added.
Bessent described a two-pronged strategy involving intensified financial pressure on Iran as well as a direct blockade of its ports.
The threat marks a sharp shift from Bessent’s comments on August 4, when he told CNBC that a deal with Tehran could potentially be reached within days to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest warning comes amid heightened tensions surrounding the strategically vital waterway, through which a significant portion of global energy supplies normally passes. Any prolonged disruption to shipping through the Strait could have major consequences for international energy markets and global trade.
