Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, in an exclusive interview with Kambiz Tavana, the Iran International reporter, advised the people of Iran not to pay taxes and to prepare for a possible shortage of heating fuel and gasoline in the winter. He said the Islamic Republic cannot meet the needs of the people and emphasized that the U.S. government and the U.S. Army are standing alongside the people of Iran.

Kambiz Tavana, a member of Iran International’s editorial team, said Bessent has warned of the escalation of economic pressure on the Islamic Republic over the next eight weeks and has confirmed that six European banks have been faced with a request to provide information about financial activities related to Iran. According to Tavana, Bessent said the sanctions are aimed at officials of the Islamic Republic and stressed U.S. support for the people of Iran.