What did Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent demand of US allies regarding Iran sanctions, and what rationale did he provide?

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged US allies to join the US in 'aggressively' enforcing sanctions on Iran and other malicious actors, stating there was 'no room for excuses' for those wishing to crack down on terror financing. He argued that 'crushing the threat of terrorism compels all of you to step up and join us in rooting out the financing that sustains it,' delivering this message at the No Money for Terror conference during the G-7 meeting in Paris.

What did Bessent say about the duration and adaptability of US sanctions, and which countries did he cite as examples for potential recalibration?

Bessent stated that the Treasury was reviewing its entire catalogue of sanctions and emphasized that sanctions 'should not linger so long that their intended effects create unintended consequences.' He cited Syria and Venezuela as examples where sanctions could be relaxed once US objectives are achieved, warning that indefinite sanctions risk causing 'generational impacts that are nearly impossible to predict.'

Bessent Urges Allies to Enforce Iran Sanctions Without Excuses

May 19, 2026

Treasury Secretary Bessent called on G-7 nations to aggressively enforce Iran sanctions, coinciding with a US waiver allowing limited Russian oil sales as energy markets react to regional instability.

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Bessent Urges Allies to Enforce Iran Sanctions Without Excuses

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