Iran’s parliament speaker criticized Washington’s financial vulnerabilities while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected British allegations linking Tehran to an incident at RAF Fairford.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Iranian officials on Thursday, launched separate challenges against Washington and London, with Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf arguing that Tehran holds significant leverage over the US economy through energy markets and the Strait of Hormuz, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected British allegations of Iranian involvement in an incident at a Royal Air Force base.
In a message posted on his personal X account, Ghalibaf criticized US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s statement that Iran’s economy would collapse within two weeks, instead highlighting what he described as Washington’s own financial vulnerabilities and mounting economic pressures.
Ghalibaf said Washington had accumulated large amounts of debt in the past when interest rates were close to zero, but had now reached a point where those debts must be repaid. According to him, the United States is being forced to borrow new money at significantly higher interest rates to repay its previous obligations.
He also pointed to weakening demand among major buyers, including China and Japan, for US financial securities. Ghalibaf said this had contributed to the yield on 30-year US Treasury securities reaching its highest level since 2002.
The Iranian parliament speaker further argued that Tehran’s role in restricting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, maintaining higher energy prices in global markets, and contributing to higher US borrowing costs had compounded pressure on the US Treasury and pushed Washington toward a deeper financial crisis.
Ghalibaf said US officials would not be able to overcome those economic difficulties unless they recognized what he described as the legitimate rights of the Iranian people.
In another part of his message, Ghalibaf turned his attention to the appointment of David Zervos as the new adviser to the US Treasury secretary.
Ghalibaf claimed that Zervos was known in economic circles for unusual positions and remarks, and said his appointment had become a subject of ridicule and criticism among financial-market activists.
Araghchi rejects British allegations
Separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to allegations by the British prime minister concerning Tehran’s alleged involvement in an incident at RAF Fairford, a Royal Air Force base.
In a message on Thursday, Araghchi said the British government claimed it could establish that Iran had been involved in the incident at Fairford.
Araghchi rejected the allegation and responded by pointing to the release of individuals whom British authorities had described as terrorists and who, according to his statement, had been working for foreign governments.
“I can also confirm Iran’s belief and view: the fact that you released those people whom you yourselves described as terrorists and who were working for foreign governments explains everything and is evidence of the truth,” Araghchi said.
He concluded by directly addressing British authorities, accusing London of pursuing the wrong suspects.
“You are looking for the perpetrators and suspects in the wrong place,” Araghchi said, completely rejecting Britain’s allegations against Tehran.