Washington is preparing additional economic penalties against Iran, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated on Sunday, following the renewed military exchange between the two countries. The move would add a financial dimension to a confrontation that had, until now, played out mainly through air strikes and missile fire.
Bessent said the administration is considering fresh measures aimed at Iranian revenue streams and entities linked to Tehran’s military operations. He did not specify which sectors would be targeted or when any designations would take effect, leaving the scope of the planned action unclear.
The signal comes days after the United States resumed direct strikes on Iranian territory, hitting sites on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz. It was the first American attack on Iran in roughly a month. Iran responded by targeting bases hosting US forces, with fire directed toward Jordan.
The exchange broke a fragile pause in hostilities that had held through much of the summer. Both sides have traded strikes intermittently this year, with Iranian oil and military infrastructure among the sites hit in earlier rounds.
Sanctions have been a recurring instrument in Washington’s Iran policy, targeting oil exports, banking channels and individuals tied to the country’s armed forces. Any new package would build on layers of existing restrictions that already limit Tehran’s access to global financial systems.
Iranian officials have repeatedly dismissed the sanctions threat, arguing that years of penalties have failed to change the country’s course. Tehran has framed the recent strikes on US-linked bases as a direct response to American military action rather than an opening move.
The prospect of tighter financial measures adds pressure to a standoff that has drawn in regional actors, including Jordan, which hosts US personnel. No formal designation had been published as of Sunday.