Aug 20 - U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday he will hold a press conference on Monday "to talk about exactly what were going to do" on Iran. His announcement follows public comments from President Donald Trump warning of economic consequences for any country that offers "any type of lifeline to Iran" as the United States looks to resolve a war it began alongside Israel nearly six months ago.
Speaking to CNBC, Bessent expressed concern that markets may be misunderstanding the meaning of the administration's economic pressure. "I think oil markets are misinterpreting what this economic pressure means," he said, noting that oil prices had climbed to more than three-week highs on Thursday.
"We have asymmetric information, and Im not sure why oil has popped up on this," Bessent added. He framed the administration's approach as maximum economic pressure and suggested that such pressure would likely reduce the chance of "a large-scale kinetic restart."
When asked whether the United States could target China for continuing commercial ties with Iran, Bessent said many of those conversations were better held in private. "We are confident that everyone wants the Strait (of Hormuz) reopened, and for energy prices to come back down," he said.
Bessent also highlighted China's energy link to the Gulf, saying, "Keep in mind that the Chinese get 50% (of their) energy from inside from the Gulf. So it would do them a big service to get with the program."
On Wednesday, President Trump used social media to promise "Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale," though he did not provide detailed measures in that post.
Iran, meanwhile, has endured sustained economic sanctions for nearly 50 years, dating to the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi responded to the U.S. rhetoric by calling the president's comments an attempt to divert American public attention from domestic financial troubles, including record debt and rising interest rates.
What remains clear from the public remarks is that the administration plans to spell out specifics early next week, while tensions and market reactions continue to be watched closely. Energy markets have already shown sensitivity to the rhetoric, and officials signalled a preference for some diplomatic conversations to remain private.
Further details are expected at the Monday press conference, where Treasury officials will "talk about exactly what were going to do" regarding Iran, according to Bessent.