Bessent Says U.S. Is Moving to ‘Absolute Isolation’ of Iran, Plans $1 Billion Crypto Seizure

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration is expanding its pressure campaign against Iran into what he called an “absolute isolation campaign,” combining naval blockades, restrictions on air travel, efforts to close land routes and a planned seizure of about $1 billion in cryptocurrency.

Speaking in an interview with Greta Van Susteren at Newsmax’s NPolicy Summit in Washington on Thursday, Bessent said the strategy is designed to cut off the ruling regime’s access to international markets, transportation and financial resources, according to Newsmax.

Blockades, land routes and oil exports

Bessent said the effort has moved beyond the administration’s earlier maximum-pressure sanctions, pointing to blockades intended to stop goods moving in or out of the country. He predicted the restrictions would bring Iranian oil exports to a complete halt.

The United Arab Emirates and Oman are cooperating with Washington, Bessent said, and the administration is working with Pakistan and Turkey to shut down overland routes into and out of Iran, according to Newsmax.

Air travel and cryptocurrency

Bessent also described restrictions on international air travel intended to prevent Iranian officials and regime-connected figures from leaving the country, and said the administration is targeting financial assets held outside the traditional banking system. He said the United States expects to seize about $1 billion in cryptocurrency this week, according to Newsmax.

The administration’s stated objective, Bessent said, is to isolate Iran economically and geographically while increasing pressure on the ruling regime and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Reporting based on coverage by Newsmax.