US Treasury Secretary Reveals Deliberate Economic Pressure Campaign Against Iran

In a remarkable admission that has sent shockwaves through international financial circles, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has openly acknowledged implementing a deliberate economic warfare strategy against Iran, creating artificial currency shortages that led to widespread civil unrest and significant loss of life.

Strategic Economic Manipulation Revealed

During a recent panel discussion, Secretary Bessent detailed Washington's calculated approach to destabilizing Iran's economy. "We created an artificial dollar shortage by drying up foreign currency liquidity in Iran," Bessent stated, describing a strategy designed to trigger uncontrollable inflation and social upheaval.

The Treasury Secretary's frank admission reveals the extent to which economic tools have become weapons of foreign policy, raising significant questions about the ethics and international legal implications of such deliberate economic manipulation targeting civilian populations.

Immediate Economic Consequences

The effects of this financial siege became dramatically apparent on December 28, 2025, when traders at Tehran's Grand Bazaar, the heart of Iran's commercial activity, were forced to close their businesses as the Iranian rial collapsed against foreign currencies within hours.

The systematic blocking of banking channels transformed the US dollar into a black market commodity, with basic necessities experiencing price increases of up to 300% within a single month. This economic shock effectively eliminated the purchasing power of ordinary Iranian citizens, creating conditions ripe for social unrest.

Human Cost of Economic Warfare

The protests that began at Tehran's Grand Bazaar quickly spread to major cities including Mashhad, Tabriz, and Isfahan. What started as economic grievances evolved into nationwide demonstrations against the government's handling of the crisis.

According to official Iranian sources, the Iranian Foundation for Martyrs and Veterans reported that 3,117 people lost their lives during the protests, including both security forces and civilians. The foundation attributed 2,427 deaths to what it termed "armed terrorist groups," while providing no details about the remaining 690 fatalities.

Independent monitoring organization HRANA, based in Virginia, continues to verify additional casualties, suggesting the actual death toll may be higher than officially reported.

International Implications and Accountability

Bessent's admission raises critical questions about the boundaries of economic statecraft and the responsibility of nations when their policies directly contribute to civilian casualties abroad. The deliberate creation of economic conditions designed to foment civil unrest represents a significant escalation in the use of financial tools as instruments of foreign policy.

This revelation comes at a time when international institutions are increasingly scrutinizing the humanitarian impact of economic sanctions and financial warfare tactics. The admission may prompt calls for new international frameworks governing the use of economic pressure as a tool of statecraft.

Precedent for Future Policy

The Treasury Secretary's openness about these tactics signals a potential shift in how the United States approaches economic pressure campaigns. This transparency, while unusual in diplomatic circles, may reflect confidence in the effectiveness of such strategies or an attempt to deter other nations through demonstration of American financial capabilities.

As the international community grapples with the implications of this admission, questions remain about accountability mechanisms for policies that deliberately target civilian populations through economic manipulation, and whether such tactics align with international humanitarian principles.