US Will Impose Toughest-Ever Sanctions on Iran, Says Bessent

Washington (GNP): The United States is preparing to roll out what officials are calling the harshest sanctions package ever imposed on Iran, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday, framing the move as an alternative to renewed large-scale military action against Tehran.

Bessent’s remarks came a day after President Donald Trump warned of sweeping economic retaliation against any nation offering Iran financial support, describing the coming measures as economic warfare on an unprecedented scale. Trump did not identify specific targets in his social media post, though the warning appeared directed at governments and institutions that have facilitated back-channel dealings with Tehran.

Speaking to a US television network, Bessent said full details of the sanctions package would be unveiled at a press briefing on Monday. He described the strategy as a two-part approach, combining the naval blockade imposed on Iran in April with the new financial penalties, and predicted the combined pressure would be enough to force the collapse of the Iranian government without requiring fresh military strikes.

The announcement rattled oil markets, pushing prices to a three-week high on Thursday as traders weighed the prospect of tighter restrictions on a conflict that has already stretched nearly six months and stranded millions of barrels of Middle Eastern crude.

Two previous ceasefire attempts between Washington and Tehran, reached in April and June, both collapsed shortly after they were announced.

Iran’s foreign ministry rejected the sanctions before Bessent’s comments were made public, calling the economic pressure a form of terrorism and insisting it would not weaken the country’s resolve to defend its sovereignty.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi went further, arguing that Washington’s threats were designed to distract American voters from domestic economic troubles, including mounting national debt and rising interest rates.

Much of the sanctions strategy hinges on cooperation from China, which purchases more than eighty percent of Iran’s exported oil according to 2025 industry data. Bessent noted that a significant share of China’s own energy needs are met by Gulf suppliers, suggesting Beijing has strong incentive to align with Washington’s position.

A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington pushed back on that framing, stating that sanctions and pressure do not resolve underlying disputes and calling for the issue to be settled through political and diplomatic channels instead.

Domestically, Trump faces mounting pressure to bring the conflict to a close. High fuel prices tied to the war have weighed on his approval ratings, raising concerns within his party about its prospects in the upcoming midterm elections in November.