Bessent threatens to deny access to dollar to countries that fail to join US sanctions

WASHINGTON, August 24. /TASS/. Countries that fail to comply with the new US sanctions on Iran will be de-facto denied access to the US dollar, US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent has told reporters.

He did not elaborate when the new sectoral sanctions on Iran will come into force.

When asked why Washington has not yet begun implementing them, Bessent replied: "Why would I want to blow up the global financial system?"

"They [other countries] should know that that will move very quickly, and that we are serious. Secondary sanctions are a very powerful tool.

"We believe that a warning shot and a level set of expectations is appropriate. And if people do not want to meet our expectations, then we expect and they should expect that they should leave the dollar system," Bessent said without giving any further details.