Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh said Monday that Tehran is prepared to withstand the latest US sanctions, predicting that Washington will suffer “another defeat" and revealing that the Iranian government has developed a two-year strategy to manage the pressure.
“They have done everything they could to test the determination of the Iranian people and the country's officials, but they have failed every time. It seems they wished to suffer yet another defeat," Madanizadeh told Iranian state television.
“We've been waiting for these plans for a long time, and the government is and was ready and has a two-year plan to manage these events," he added.
Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi likewise portrayed the expanded US economic campaign as evidence that Washington had failed to accomplish its military objectives.
“If Washington has achieved its goals, why is there a need for ‘the largest financial invasion in history’?" he asked, describing the new measures as an acknowledgment of US failure.
The Iranian officials were responding to the announcement by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent of “Operation Economic Outcast," a campaign designed to isolate Iran financially and restrict the regime's access to revenue.
Bessent compared the initiative to the Allied offensive launched after D-Day during World War II.
“Today, in that same spirit, we are launching an economic onslaught against Iran's financial connections around the globe."
“Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone," he added.
Bessent warned governments, companies and other entities that continue doing business with Iran that they could face consequences. The campaign targets economic activity involving Iranian petroleum, transportation, exchange houses, free trade zones, aviation, shipping, banking and fuel transfers.
“The President is making phone calls to world leaders with specific requests to cease their interactions with the regime," Bessent said, adding that US officials were already seeing results," said Bessent.
He also drew a distinction between those cooperating with Washington and those continuing to support Tehran.
“Those who stand with the United States will reap the rewards of our partnership. Those who tether themselves to the Iranian regime should expect to share in the isolation of a withering regime," he stated.