Ali Madani-Zadeh, Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance, in response to statements by Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary, about Iran’s economy said: “For years they have been saying that in another two weeks or one month, Iran’s economy will be destroyed and a collapse will occur; these things will certainly not happen—feel at ease.”

He added that the purpose of these remarks is to create “instability and stress” among the people and to push them toward the foreign exchange market in order to raise its price, and said: “We will also not allow this to happen.”

Madani-Zadeh also, regarding damages caused by the war, said that of the estimated 78 trillion tomans in losses for small and medium-sized businesses, so far nearly 45 trillion tomans have been paid.

According to him, more than 50 trillion tomans in direct insurance-related damages and more than $80 million in damages related to ships and aircraft have also been paid.

The minister of economy also said that part of the failure of resources that remained last year in the hands of trustees to be returned was related to “an exchange-rate attack” on the country, and added that the United States and Israel have acknowledged this “exchange-rate attack.”