“We have seized about a billion dollars of their crypto,” he told FOX Business. “Just outright grabbed the wallets.”<\/p>\n
Joining “Kudlow” at the Reagan National Economic Forum, Bessent detailed the United States\u2019 economic pressure campaign on Iran<\/a>, known as “Operation Economic Fury,” which he said has sent the regime into “crisis.”<\/p>\n “I think between five and a half-six weeks of an incredibly successful military campaign and then Operation Economic Fury, where we have really cut them off\u2026they are at the end of their tether now financially,” he said.<\/p>\n TRUMP\u2019S IRAN CRACKDOWN \u2018SUFFOCATING\u2019 REGIME AS OIL WELLS COULD SHUT WITHIN DAYS, BESSENT SAYS<\/a><\/p>\n Bessent said roughly $1 billion in Iranian cryptocurrency assets has been seized by the U.S. Treasury Department. (Getty Images)<\/p>\n “I think 40 or 50% of the [Iranian] troops aren’t getting paid. Police aren’t reporting to the station. Inflation<\/a> is probably over 200%. They’re having to give out food vouchers. They have turned off the internet.”<\/p>\n The effort, launched in March 2025, has crippled Tehran\u2019s financial lifelines by seizing Iranian assets, freezing bank accounts and pressuring foreign governments to cut ties with the nation.<\/p>\n “We are working with our allies all over Europe<\/a> to grab villas and houses and properties,” Bessent explained. “And this is money that’s stolen from the Iranian people.”<\/p>\n Bessent said the Iranian regime was siphoning $400 to $500 million<\/a> every month and dividing the profits amongst dozens of leaders, before the Treasury Department intervened.<\/p>\n TRUMP CLAIMS IRAN ‘STARVING FOR CASH,’ ‘COLLAPSING FINANCIALLY’ AFTER EXTENDING CEASEFIRE<\/a><\/p>\n President Donald Trump speaks alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at the White House Digital Assets Summit at the White House on March 07, 2025, in Washington, D.C.\u00a0 (Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n The Treasury secretary went on to address ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, highlighting the differences between the factions involved in the talks. President Donald Trump<\/a> held a White House meeting Friday where he said he would make a “final determination” on Iran.<\/p>\n “We did not have regime change, but we changed the regime,” Bessent said. “The first level leaders were decapitated, the second level decapitated. So, we’re dealing with the third level.”<\/p>\n TRUMP SAYS IRAN\u2019S SUCCESSION BENCH WIPED OUT AS ISRAELI STRIKE HITS LEADERSHIP DELIBERATIONS<\/a><\/p>\n “And it’s very tough because, on one side, we have a theocracy with the clerics. On the other side, we have a thug autocracy with the IRGC<\/a>. And you’ve got to convince both sides,” he added.<\/p>\n Bessent also spoke about the “very big” mistake Iran made by attacking countries in the Persian Gulf<\/a>, which he argued left the regime more vulnerable.<\/p>\n Fox News senior strategic analyst Gen. Jack Keane (ret.) joins \u2018Mornings with Maria\u2019 to assess US strikes on Iran, tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and President Donald Trump\u2019s next move.<\/p>\n The IRGC has launched drone and missile attacks against all six GCC states.<\/p>\n IRAN IS ‘TRYING TO GIVE THE GLOBAL ECONOMY A HEART ATTACK’ BY CLOSING STRAIT OF HORMUZ, UAE MINISTER SAYS<\/a><\/p>\n “They made my job so much easier because before, many of our great GCC Gulf allies were a little less than transparent about their banking system, that, \u2018Oh no, we don’t have any Iranian oil,\u2019” Bessent said.<\/p>\n The Treasury secretary added that after the Iranian strikes, GCC states were more open to disclosing ties to Iranian-supplied oil<\/a>.<\/p>\n U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent visits “FOX & Friends” at Fox News Channel Studios on November 12, 2025, in New York City. (John Lamparski\/Getty Images \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/iran-cyb.png\"\/)
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