Ghalibaf targets US Treasury Secy Bessent over 'Economic D-Day' sanctions

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has hit out at US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent over Washington’s latest sanctions offensive against Tehran, mocking the Trump administration’s description of the campaign as an “Economic D-Day”.

Ghalibaf, who is also Iran’s chief negotiator, targeted what he portrayed as a contradiction between Bessent’s aggressive rhetoric and the Treasury Secretary’s comments about avoiding disruption to the global financial system.

In a social media post on Tuesday, Ghalibaf contrasted Bessent’s use of the “Economic D-Day” phrase with his subsequent remarks questioning why Washington would want to “blow up the global financial system”. He likened the US messaging to an improvised performance in which the script had been forgotten.

Tehran attacks sanctions push

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei separately criticised the sanctions campaign, arguing that its implications extended beyond Iran.

Baghaei said forcing banks, companies, ports and governments to choose between complying with Washington’s demands and facing US penalties turned the issue into a wider challenge for countries engaged in international commerce.

The Iranian reaction followed Bessent’s announcement of “Operation Economic Outcast”, a sweeping US effort intended to further isolate Tehran from global financial and commercial networks.

Washington says the campaign is designed to restrict revenue streams available to the Iranian government and disrupt networks used to move oil, obtain sensitive technology and circumvent existing sanctions.

US widens sanctions net

The new initiative expands the range of activities potentially exposed to US secondary sanctions, including transactions involving digital assets, gold, technology, aviation and shipping.

The Treasury also announced sanctions against nearly 60 individuals, entities and vessels accused of involvement in activities ranging from oil smuggling and cyber operations to the procurement of nuclear and missile-related technology.

Bessent has warned businesses and governments dealing with Iran that they could lose access to the US financial system if they continue facilitating transactions targeted by Washington.

The US administration is giving foreign governments and companies an opportunity to unwind certain Iran-related activities before imposing broader penalties, but Bessent has warned that Washington’s patience is limited.

He has also indicated that a major financial institution could face sanctions this week.

Pressure on trading partners

The strategy places renewed attention on countries that maintain significant commercial relationships with Iran. China remains particularly important because of its purchases of Iranian oil, while Turkey, Iraq and other regional economies retain commercial links with Tehran.

Bessent has maintained that no country or financial institution will be exempt from the reach of the new sanctions regime.

Ghalibaf has rejected that threat, arguing that the US is not in a position to force Iran’s trading partners to sever their economic ties with Tehran. Iranian officials have also claimed that their trading partners do not regard Washington’s warnings as credible.

The escalating rhetoric comes as the US seeks to intensify economic pressure on Iran without immediately resorting to another expansion of military action, turning financial isolation and secondary sanctions into a central element of Washington’s strategy against Tehran.