The United States is preparing to implement a new wave of economic sanctions against Iran next week, which Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described as measures "like have never been seen in the history of economic isolation of a country."
During a television interview, Bessent stated that the US would apply a "one-two punch" combining unprecedented economic isolation with a continued naval blockade.
"The kinetic war ended after several weeks, and we went from Epic Fury to Economic Fury. And at the president’s orders, we have raised the level even again," Bessent said. He added that this strategy includes "economic isolation like the world has never seen before, and the continued blockade in the Strait of Hormuz that will keep anything from going in or out of the Iranian ports."
Bessent leads Operation Economic Fury, which supports the Pentagon's Operation Epic Fury. He noted that previous US actions had helped contribute to an inflation crisis within Iran, which led to widespread protests in late 2025 and early 2026.
The Treasury Department is legally restricted from previewing specific sanctions actions, making the precise nature of the forthcoming measures unclear. However, the US has already implemented aggressive actions targeting money-changers, cryptocurrency, and other revenue streams, alongside a naval blockade that has significantly reduced Iran's oil output.
Bessent dismissed the views of some Democrats who he claimed were "uninformed, deranged, and have no idea what they're talking about" regarding Iran's perceived strength.