Bessent Says Iran Will Face Deeper Financial Consequences for Attacks

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that Iran would face deeper economic and financial consequences for any attacks it launches or damage it causes to U.S. allies in the Gulf.

In a post on X, Bessent said “the Iranian regime will lose the zero-sum game it is playing.”

Bessent said any damage Iran inflicts on U.S. allies in the Gulf would be paid for with funds extracted from Iranian accounts. He also said any tolls paid to the Persian Gulf Strait Authority would be offset by funds taken from those accounts.

Every attack Iran launches will only deepen the economic and financial consequences it faces. — U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

Bessent’s statement did not give details on which accounts could be targeted, how the funds would be extracted or when any financial action could take place.

In an earlier development, 22 governments, including the United States and the United Kingdom, condemned what they described as lethal plotting by Iranian intelligence services in Europe, North America and Australia, demanding that Tehran halt the activity immediately.

The joint statement, released by the U.S. Department of State, accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Intelligence Organisation, the Quds Force and the Ministry of Intelligence and Security of targeting Iranian dissidents, journalists, and Jewish and Israeli communities and interests.

The governments said Iranian security services maintain a long-standing relationship with international and local criminal groups, and they called Tehran’s use of those groups deplorable.

The statement also condemned a recent campaign of attacks across Europe that targeted Jewish communities, Iranian journalists and U.S. interests. The governments said Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya claimed the attacks, with support from the group’s intermediaries.

Attempts to kill, kidnap, harass or intimidate people on their soil undermine national sovereignty and international norms, the governments said. They added that they have resolved to take further measures to stop the activity.

The signatories are the United States, the United Kingdom, Albania, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Portugal and Sweden.

This is a developing story. Virginia Times will update this report as more information becomes available.