Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared on “Mornings with Maria” to discuss the Trump administration’s initiatives to combat government fraud, the intensifying economic sanctions against Iran, the global competition for AI supremacy, and the current state of the U.S. economy.
Speaking to FOX Business on Tuesday, Bessent announced that the Trump administration has successfully identified a primary financier for the Iranian regime. He further detailed upcoming plans to publicly disclose more than $100 million in real estate assets linked to Iran’s supreme leader globally.
“We have located the individual managing the ayatollah’s finances. We are currently tracking his properties across the globe,” Bessent stated during his interview with “Mornings With Maria.”
“Our goal is to soon publish the details of these $100 million-plus properties, including their specific addresses. We are working to ensure these recovered funds are preserved for the benefit of the American people.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent arrives to testify before the House Ways and Means Committee in the Longworth House Office Building on June 4 in Washington, D.C.
Bessent explained that this initiative is a component of the administration’s “Economic Fury” campaign, which serves as a financial counterpart to the “Epic Fury” military campaign designed to disrupt regional instability.
He noted that “Economic Fury” is designed to dismantle the regime’s financial infrastructure by tracing international assets, freezing accounts, and increasing economic pressure following recent military engagements.
Bessent emphasized that officials are actively pursuing Iranian assets worldwide to restrict the regime’s access to capital. He argued that this sustained pressure has already caused the Iranian currency to plummet against the U.S. dollar and has triggered extreme inflation within the country.
An Iranian flag amid rubble and debris in Tehran.
“Their currency is hitting record lows against the dollar. It is in freefall, and we estimate the inflation rate in Iran is exceeding 180%,” Bessent said.
“The regime’s actions are causing significant hardship for its citizens. We will continue to apply pressure, but we also intend to consolidate and preserve the resources we recover to support the Iranian people once this conflict concludes.”
Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director and senior fellow at the FDD Iran Program, joined “The Bottom Line” to discuss the potential next steps in the Iranian conflict.
Furthermore, Bessent indicated that the Treasury is targeting Iran’s oil revenues. He specifically highlighted sanctions on Chinese “teapot” refineries and reported an approximately 40% decline in Chinese purchases of Iranian crude over recent months, a trend he claims has significantly heightened the regime’s financial strain.
