Bessent says US is now ending Iran threat, not managing it
Treasury Secretary Bessent's shift in language comes as Iranian officials give conflicting signals on talks and oil prices stay elevated after recent attacks.
Published
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration's goal has moved from managing the threat posed by Iran to ending it. He did not detail what ending the threat would require, whether military action, a negotiated deal, or another approach.
The shift in language follows weeks of hostilities in the Persian Gulf. The US attacked Iranian boats that tried to seize a Navy drone. Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it shot down a fourth US drone near the Strait of Hormuz in four days, a claim the US military has not confirmed, Iranian state media reported. Drones also hit two Iranian fishing boats off the country's southern coast, leaving several fishermen missing, according to Iran's state broadcaster IRIB. A tanker exploded after striking two mines in the strait after taking what Iran's Revolutionary Guard called an illegal route.
Iranian officials have sent mixed messages on talks. Top security official Rezaee said on X that Iran will not negotiate with the US and separately said Trump is sending mixed signals on the matter. President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran cannot negotiate with Washington over past commitments. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called for an end to the reciprocal attacks in the Gulf. Trump himself has signaled openness to talks.
Oil prices have moved on the tensions. Brent crude rose 1.26% to $105.93 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate gained 1.47% to $101.52 after a Saudi pipeline shutdown. Bessent's pivot toward talk of ending rather than managing the threat points toward lower risk premiums in energy markets if it holds, but Iran's continued conditions on any negotiation and its officials' public distrust of Washington mean the outcome remains unsettled.