🖊Amir Azimi, editor of the Persian section

The United States says it has launched “an economic offensive against Iran’s financial communications around the world.” On Monday, Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, said the measures cover sanctions, oil exports, petrochemicals, digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping. According to him, any country that cooperates financially with Iran will be isolated.

However, what Mr. Bessent called a “decisive economic day” announcement may have stirred more noise in Washington than in Tehran.

Shortly after the announcement, Ali Madani-Zadeh, Iran’s minister of economic affairs and finance, described it as repeating old remarks and said Iran is prepared for “any scenario.” He said Tehran expected such actions and has a plan to counter them.

His reaction suggests that Iranian leaders likely have one main question in mind: what more can the United States do now that it has not tried so far?

Scott Bessent has threatened more sweeping secondary sanctions on countries, banks, and companies that continue trading with Iran.