America waging ‘greatest economic isolation campaign’ on Iran, Treasury chief says
WASHINGTON — US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday that Washington is carrying out what he called the “greatest economic isolation campaign” against Iran and its enablers, arguing that the pressure is taking a growing toll on the Iranian economy.“The strength of our economy has allowed the United States to wage the greatest economic isolation campaign in history against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its enablers,” Bessent said in opening remarks before the House Financial Services Committee.The committee held its annual hearing with the Treasury secretary on the state of the international financial system.Bessent defended the Trump administration's economic policies before lawmakers on Tuesday, from currency and bond market interventions to AI safety, disclosing plans to meet with his Chinese counterpart this weekend.Bessent told the hearing that President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping would continue discussions next week on Iran and China's financial links to Tehran. Washington has been seeking to shut Iran out of Western financial systems as the Iran war stretches into its seventh month.Bessent said President Trump had taken action against Iran that
