US Treasury Secretary: Iran resorts to hostile military moves due to escalating economic losses

Washington, Aug 31 (KUNA) -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that Iran is resorting to “hostile” military moves due to the continued escalation of its economic losses each day as a result of the “economic pariah” campaign recently launched by the United States against it. Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors of the Group of 20 countries in North Carolina, Bessent said, “I believe they are responding with military aggression because U.S. sanctions are inflicting economic damage on their system.” He added that Tehran is taking the sanctions seriously, emphasizing that the administration of President Donald Trump will continue to exert maximum pressure. He viewed the collapse of the Iranian economy as “not inevitable,” but stressed the need for the Iranian regime to “exercise restraint and return to the negotiating table in earnest.” Bessent’s remarks came after Iran launched ballistic missiles at U.S. forces in Jordan, in retaliation for U.S. strikes targeting launch platforms belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Larak Island. Earlier on Monday, Trump announced that the United States would respond “forcefully” to Iran’s overnight attack on U.S. forces in Jordan. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced at dawn today that it had carried out a “limited and precise” operation against forces affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that were conducting mine-laying operations and posed an imminent threat in the Strait of Hormuz. (End) A.M.M. / A.M.H.