US Treasury Secretary Bessent relocated to a base following reported Iran threat

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been relocated to a base following reported threats against him, according to US media accounts cited by Mehr News Agency. The New York Times reported that Bessent has spearheaded a US push to weaken Iran's economy since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran, vowing what it described as "economic asphyxiation" of the Islamic Republic through a network of sanctions. Reuters separately reported that the severity of the threats against Bessent was not immediately clear.

According to the reports, the relocation underscores growing anxiety within the Trump administration over the potential consequences of its escalating campaign against Iran, particularly as officials involved in imposing economic pressure on Tehran face concerns about possible retaliation. The New York Times claimed that Bessent's prominent role in the campaign has made him one of the administration officials Iran most wanted to target.

The reports said Bessent has played a central role in Washington's economic offensive through "Operation Economic Outcast," a Treasury campaign launched in August to isolate Iran economically through sanctions and financial restrictions, complementing US military actions against the country. The accounts did not provide further details on the specific nature of the threats or the location to which Bessent was moved.

Mehr News Agency carried the reports without independently confirming the details of the relocation or the threats. According to Mehr News, the New York Times and Reuters accounts described the move as a sign of concern within the administration over its Iran policy, while noting that the severity of the threats had not been established.