US Treasury Secretary warns countries cooperating with Iran ahead of ‘economic D-Day’

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced in a Financial Times op-ed that Washington is launching what he described as the greatest financial offensive ever marshalled against an adversary, termed an "economic D-Day." Bessent warned that any cooperation with the Islamic Republic, whether intentional or through "willful ignorance," will accelerate the economic isolation of those countries and entities. He stated that the U.S. objective is to sever every economic lifeline sustaining the Iranian regime until Tehran stands alone, adding that countries that cut ties with Iran will see their economies revitalized. In response, Mohsen Rezaee, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, warned on Sunday that if the "economic war" continues, not a drop of oil will leave the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. Rezaee threatened that if neighboring countries cooperate with these U.S. measures, Iran will interpret it as an act of war and will attack their interests. Meanwhile, data from maritime tracking firm Kpler and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) indicate that commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has remained at significantly reduced levels, with ongoing risks of drifting or uncharted mines in the area.