US Treasury Secretary Praises Success of Measures to Isolate Iran Economically

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on Saturday that he had dispatched teams to various parts of the world to urge actions aimed at economically isolating Iran, welcoming a series of decisions targeting Iranian banks and airlines.

Bessent wrote on the X platform, “Under my direction, teams have been sent around the world to engage with countries and demand that they take action against the Iranian regime.”

On Thursday, the United Arab Emirates’ General Civil Aviation Authority announced in a statement that it was suspending flights by Iranian airlines to and from the country, effective immediately and until further notice.

Additionally, last week, Turkey’s Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency revoked the license of Iran’s Mellat Bank, which has been under Western sanctions for years.

Jonathan Berk, the US Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, concluded a two-week tour of the Middle East and Europe this month. The US Treasury Department also held talks with representatives from more than 50 countries, according to The Wall Street Journal.

On Monday, Bessent confirmed in an interview with CNBC that “all Iranian airlines will cease operations as of September 23,” adding, “If these planes land, no one will be able to refuel them, provide landing services, or sell tickets for them; otherwise, they will be excluded from the US dollar system.”