US to hold entities enabling Iran financially, says Scott Bessent

Scott Bessent of the US Treasury said the United States will hold accountable entities that enable the Iranian regime financially.

According to Al Arabiya, Bessent emphasized the need to maintain financial pressure on the remaining arteries of the Iranian economy, stressing that Iran must not be allowed to threaten international trade or use the Strait of Hormuz as leverage.

The US Treasury Secretary also reaffirmed continued efforts to defend the integrity of the global financial system and to cripple threats posed by the Iranian regime.

Separately, the Axios website quoted a US official as saying that Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed several counterparts in allied countries in recent days that "for now" the United States does not expect to launch new strikes on Iran, but will instead focus on other forms of pressure.

Rubio added that "the current US administration's policy toward Iran will continue at least until after the midterm congressional elections scheduled for November."

According to Axios, the Secretary of State explained that "the Trump administration's policy toward Iran includes avoiding military action for now, increasing economic pressure, and moving as much oil as possible through the Strait of Hormuz."