US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant [AP=Yonhap News]

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant on the 11th (local time) pressured Iran, stating that Iran's damages incurred during the war would be offset by Iranian funds.

In a post on social media platform X, Secretary Bessant said, "The Iranian regime will lose the zero-sum game it is currently playing. All damages inflicted on our allies in the Gulf region will be compensated with funds seized from Iranian accounts."

He added, "Tolls paid to the Persian Gulf Strait Authority will be offset by funds seized from their (Iran's) accounts." The Persian Gulf Strait Authority is an organization established by Iran to manage navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Secretary Bessant further emphasized, "Any attack by Iran will only deepen the economic and financial costs that Iran faces."

This appears to indicate an intention to not only launch military strikes against Iran but also to escalate economic pressure to the maximum level. The U.S. military conducted airstrikes against Iran for two days, citing retaliation for the downing of an Apache helicopter, and planned to intensify its attacks further on this day.

The "funds seized from Iranian accounts" mentioned by Secretary Bessant are presumed to refer to funds frozen due to sanctions, but they could also have a more comprehensive meaning.

The British daily Financial Times (FT) reported on the 6th that the U.S. is pursuing a plan to use Iranian assets to restore damages in the Gulf region, and that Secretary Bessant had issued instructions to calculate the extent of losses incurred by U.S. allies in the Gulf region due to Iran in the current war.

Reuters also reported similar information at the time, noting that it was unclear whether the Iranian assets referred to funds frozen by sanctions.

Frozen Iranian funds are estimated to be around $100 billion (153 trillion won), and Iran is demanding the release of $24 billion (36.8 trillion won) of this amount as a prerequisite for a peace agreement with the United States.