Iran late Monday mocked the Trump administration’s reliance on financial sanctions, warning that Washington’s repeated makes an attempt to squeeze Tehran are much less a technique than an “dependancy” that would in the end depart the US with fewer choices to finish the disaster.Iranian overseas ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei took intention at US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent after he claimed that American sanctions had been “suffocating” Iran. In a publish on X, Baqaei dismissed the declare and accused Washington of turning to financial strain at any time when it failed to realize its targets by way of diplomacy.“The US Secretary of the Treasury has boasted of “suffocating” Iran by way of financial sanctions. Past its sheer pathos, the declare is a stark testomony to America’s compulsive dependancy to sanctions,” Baqaei wrote.“At any time when Washington proves itself incapable of pursuing diplomacy, it retreats into sanctions; and at any time when these sanctions fail to provide outcomes, it merely will increase the dose. That is not ‘coverage’—it’s ‘behavior’; and extra dangerously nonetheless, it’s an dependancy that has displaced thought itself,” he added.Baqaei’s remarks got here after Bessent mentioned Washington would proceed growing financial strain on Tehran. In a publish on X on August 7, the Treasury secretary mentioned Iran’s use of digital property and shadow banking networks confirmed that “Financial Fury is working”.“The Iranian regime’s reliance on digital property and shadow banking networks is additional proof that Financial Fury is working. We’ll proceed to extend the financial strain. Whether or not in {dollars}, rials, or crypto, Treasury will seek out and dismantle the illicit monetary networks that preserve the regime afloat,” Bessent mentioned.Baqaei, nevertheless, warned that the continued use of sanctions might damage Washington’s personal place quite than power Tehran to capitulate.“Iran has demonstrated over a long time that it’s going to not be strangled by these exhausted refrains. The actual threat is that American politicians, clinging to this dangerous behavior, will as a substitute strangle their very own remaining probabilities of a much less humiliating exit from a disaster of their very own making,” he mentioned.The alternate comes amid an escalating confrontation between Washington and Tehran, with the Strait of Hormuz and sanctions rising as key sticking factors in any potential negotiations. Iran has demanded that the US finish its blockade of Iranian ports, elevate sanctions and launch frozen Iranian property, whereas additionally in search of compensation for harm attributable to US and Israeli bombardment.US President Donald Trump has rejected Tehran’s demand for reparations and as a substitute referred to as for Iran to compensate Individuals killed or wounded in conflicts involving Iranian-backed teams. Trump mentioned he had instructed US representatives to incorporate the demand in future negotiations.The dispute has additional difficult efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, by way of which roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil provides handed earlier than the conflict.
