Iran made a “big mistake” by attacking its neighbors in the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council, US Treasury Secretary Scott Besant said in an interview with Fox News.
He said the US has many allies who may not have been completely honest with Washington about Iranian funds in their banking systems, but “suddenly they have become very responsive and willing to give us access to accounts or help us block them“.
The Wall Street Journal reported in early March that the UAE was considering freezing Iranian assets held in the country.
Besant noted that while the US did not topple the regime in Iran, they have changed it by eliminating its leaders. “And they see how far President Trump is willing to go“, he said.
The Treasury Secretary believes that the current Iranian leadership has the ability to transform their country into a “normal“. Besant said that Iran has been a “pariah state“ for 47 years. And now, “thanks to President Trump“, Tehran is ready to discuss giving up its nuclear weapons.
Besant also said that the US blockade of Iranian ports “has become both economic and physical“. He said that Iran's Kharq Island, the country's key oil terminal, is blocked by the US, which means “Iran will have to start dismantling its wells“. Trump also announced the end of the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
On May 29, the US president held a two-hour meeting with his national security team in the White House Situation Room, but did not make a final decision on the Iran deal. The Iranian Foreign Ministry confirmed ongoing contacts with the US, noting that no final agreement had yet been reached. Tehran claims that the current talks are focused on ending the war and do not affect the nuclear program. The New York Times later reported that the US and Iran were discussing a draft preliminary agreement that would create an international investment fund for Iran if a final deal was reached.
At the same time, Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth said that any deal with Iran would be good. He noted that Trump is patient in ensuring that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons.
Today, Axios reported that Trump has requested amendments to the draft agreement between Washington and Tehran on Iran's nuclear program and the resumption of transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
Since the beginning of the conflict between the US and Israel with Iran, the Persian Gulf countries that have not officially joined the war have been subjected to attacks by Iran. The Financial Times identified the UAE as the most frequently attacked country among Iran's neighbors. Iranian strikes have been recorded in Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.