Sanctions against Iran: The USA prepares the seizure of $1 billion in cryptocurrencies

Royal quarantine. Thursday October 8, Scott Bessent unveiled a massive tightening of American pressure on Iran. Guest of Greta Van Susteren at Newsmax's NPolicy Summit in Washington, the US Treasury Secretary now speaks of a “campaign of absolute isolation”. On the agenda is the seizure of no less than $1 billion in crypto this week. A climate that is already weighing on the markets, with Bitcoin having risen to $82,000 after a message from Trump on Iran.

Scott Bessent announces a “campaign of absolute isolation” against Iran, after the campaign of “maximum pressure”.

The US Treasury plans to seize around $1 billion in cryptocurrencies this week.

The system combines maritime blockades, flight restrictions and closure of land routes, with the support of Pakistan and Turkey.

Iranian oil exports will stop completely, according to Bessent, a first in the country's history.

In fact, the declaration most awaited by our ecosystem concerns digital assets. Indeed, the tenant of the Treasury announced the imminent seizure of $1 billion in digital assets belonging to Iran.

“We're probably going to seize a billion dollars in cryptocurrencies this week. […] we know where it is, and we isolate them. »

A major strike, presented as a simple part of a broader strategy.

As a reminder, this announcement goes beyond the scope of traditional financial sanctions. Bessent describes an unprecedented system, combining military actions, maritime blockades and closure of land routes. A method “never seen before”, assures the person concerned.

“We had a maximum pressure campaign. Now we have a campaign of absolute isolation, and it is working. »

According to him, panic is already spreading to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), based on information from the New York Times. An escalation which feeds the nervousness of the markets. At the same time, oil returned to $102 this week, while Bitcoin stabilized around $82,000. A reminder that geopolitics is also written in order books.

The energy component constitutes the centerpiece of the system. Through military actions and maritime blockades, Washington intends to bring Iranian oil exports to a complete halt. “For the first time since the start of its oil exploitation, Iran will no longer have any barrels on water to sell,” assured Bessent. However, this scenario remains a projection for the moment.

For its part, Tehran sees its access routes closing one by one. Bessent thus welcomes the cooperation of the United Arab Emirates and Oman, two “good partners”. In addition, Pakistan and Turkey would be mobilized to cut off all of the country's land routes.

Finally, the air component aims to prevent the regime's elites from fleeing quarantine. “We quarantined them with the air flights,” the Treasury secretary joked. Thus, members of the IRGC would no longer be able to reach “their cosmetic surgeon in London, their girlfriend in Paris, nor their money in Geneva”. “If they love the Islamic Republic of Iran, they can stay there to enjoy it,” he concluded. A method which combines economic asphyxiation and psychological pressure on the leadership of the country.