US Treasury Secretary Defends Economic Pain to Counter Iran Nuclear Threat

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the BBC that a small bit of economic pain is worthwhile for long-term international security.

“Please enable cookies”

AccessWDUN

The IMF warned the US-Israel war with Iran could plunge the global economy into recession.

Arab Times Kuwait News

The IMF forecast that Iran's economy will shrink by 6.1% this year.

Bessent said, I wonder what the hit to global GDP would be if a nuclear weapon hit London.

The war with Iran has strained relations between the US and its allies.

Trump declared the war over in a Fox News interview.

BBC

The US imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports during a fragile two-week ceasefire.

The blockade moves US forces into much closer proximity to Iran.

At the start of the war, Iran had uranium enriched to 60%.

“- Published US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has told the BBC a "small bit of economic pain" is worthwhile for long-term international security”

BBC

It does not have nuclear weapons.

The UK government has said there is no assessment that Iran is trying to target Europe with missiles.

Bessent cited Iran's mid-range intercontinental ballistic missiles that could reach London.

Five weeks into the war, the location and status of Iran’s nuclear materials remain a top priority.

Previous strikes in June 2025 were largely successful in disrupting enrichment.

Mint

There have been discussions of using Special Operations Forces to remove the most sensitive material.

It appears unlikely that the Islamic Republic will fall.

Media coverage of Iran's nuclear threat has been marked by conflicting narratives.

The war was not really about the nuclear issue.

NBC News

For the IDF it was about preventing Iran from reaching a certain volume of conventional ballistic missiles.

Trump and Netanyahu thought this could be the moment to take the regime down.