US Treasury Chief Warns Iran Will Pay for Gulf Damage Through Frozen Funds
"Any damage it inflicts on our allies in the Gulf will be paid for with funds extracted from Iranian accounts," Bessent wrote on the social media platform X.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday vowed that Iranian funds would be used to compensate for any damage Tehran causes to U.S. allies in the Gulf, warning that the Islamic Republic would face escalating economic consequences for its actions.
"Any damage it inflicts on our allies in the Gulf will be paid for with funds extracted from Iranian accounts," Bessent wrote on the social media platform X.
His remarks came as Washington intensified its rhetoric against Tehran amid the ongoing conflict. Earlier on Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States would launch new strikes against Iran and eventually take control of the country's key oil infrastructure.
The United States and Israel have been conducting strikes against Iranian targets since late February, triggering a regional war that has disrupted major energy supply routes and driven up global energy prices.
Bessent said Tehran's attacks "will only deepen the economic and financial consequences it faces," signaling that Washington is prepared to increase economic pressure on the country.
He also warned that "any tolls paid to the Persian Gulf Strait Authority will be offset by funds extracted from their accounts."
The Persian Gulf Strait Authority is Iran's newly established body responsible for collecting transit fees through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that handles a significant share of the world's energy shipments. Tehran has effectively restricted access to the strait since the conflict began, and the authority announced on Thursday that the passage would remain completely closed until further notice.
Bessent has previously stated that Washington would not tolerate attempts to impose a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz, warning that additional sanctions could be imposed on individuals and entities involved in its implementation.
The Iranian regime will lose the zero-sum game it is playing.
— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) June 11, 2026
Any damage it inflicts on our allies in the Gulf will be paid for with funds extracted from Iranian Accounts.
Any tolls paid to the Persian Gulf Strait Authority will be offset by funds extracted from their accounts.…