US Treas. Sec. Bessent: Iran leadership is feeling the economic pressure
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says economic pressure on Iran is working.
- He pointed to increasingly candid comments from senior Iranian officials about the country’s economic hardships.
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged widespread shortages and said the war must eventually end.
- Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that military strength alone cannot sustain the country.
- Ghalibaf cited hunger, limited financial circulation, weak economic growth and inadequate domestic production.
- Bessent said the comments show that economic pressure is taking a growing toll on Iran.
- He vowed that the Trump administration would continue severing the economic lifelines supporting the Iranian government.
- The campaign will continue, Bessent said, until Tehran becomes increasingly isolated.
The comments make it clear that the Trump administration believes its maximum-pressure campaign against Iran is working – although we have heard “the war is won" comments in the past. The increasingly blunt comments from Iran’s own leadership suggest that shortages, weak domestic production and limited financial activity are becoming difficult to ignore, although again, don’t underestimate what the Iranian leaders can focus on.
The message from Bessent is also clear: There is no intention to ease the pressure. Instead, the Treasury Department will continue targeting the revenue streams and financial lifelines supporting the Iranian regime. That raises the risk of additional sanctions and tighter enforcement, while also increasing the potential for further geopolitical escalation.
For the markets, the comments keep Iran—and the potential impact on crude oil supplies and shipping routes—firmly in focus. If the economic pressure pushes Tehran toward negotiations, some of that risk premium could ease. If Iran responds by escalating militarily, however, oil prices could remain supported and volatility could increase.
This article was written by Greg Michalowski at investinglive.com.