US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has officially announced a new phase of massive pressure on Tehran under a large-scale operation codenamed "Economic Rage." This time, the spearhead of US sanctions is aimed at dismantling the Islamic Republic's entire hidden financial system, which allowed the country to survive previous restrictions. This includes the shadow banking infrastructure that facilitates international transactions, as well as the cryptocurrency access mechanisms used by Tehran to circumvent dollar controls. Bessent emphasized that Washington intends to completely paralyze not only the shadow tanker fleet transporting oil to proxy customers, but also the deeply clandestine networks that procure weapons and military components.

The new strategy places particular emphasis on the critical state of Iran's oil storage facilities. According to U.S. Treasury estimates, the strategic storage and export facilities on Kharg Island will soon reach their maximum capacity. Due to the U.S. naval blockade, Iran has been unable to export oil, leading to a glut in the system. Scott Bessent predicts that within days, Tehran will be forced to physically shut down wells and sharply reduce production, as the excess oil will have nowhere to go. Such a shutdown risks long-term damage to the fields and the ultimate collapse of the country's energy potential.