Scott Bessent: “Do not retaliate. If you retaliate, there will be escalation.”

If you insist on doing business with them—either transferring money, buying oil, doing seaborne ship transport—then the US Treasury and the US government, they will put its full might and force towards enforcing against you.

Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.

Must be shuttered and dark," Bessent said about Iran's Bank Melli.

I mean we're not at war with Canada. How are we going to be at war with Canada? What, are they going to take their two submarines from the Edmonton mall and sic them on us?