US Claims Iranian Delegation Cannot Return from UN, Explains Why

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has issued a sharp taunt, questioning how the Iranian delegation at the UN General Assembly in New York will manage to return home. This statement comes as lethal US sanctions continue to paralysing the operations of the country’s international airlines.

Quoting Anadolu Agency on Friday (25/09/2026), Bessent revealed that the US sanctions campaign has had a profound impact on Iran’s air connectivity. He claimed that more than 80% to 90% of the country’s external flights have been forcibly closed.

“Regarding Operation Economic Outcast, we are pressing the Iranian side in ways they have never seen before,” he said.

Besserm also warned financial institutions, companies, and other business entities that continue to support Iran. He stated that Washington would not hesitate to target their operations and bank accounts.

“We have made it very clear throughout the world; whether it is financiers, businesspeople, or those supplying the Iranian side, we know who you are, and you know who you are,” he explained.

“So, we have kinetic activity for six weeks. We have a blockade. And now we have an unprecedented effort in terms of narrowing and cutting off the financial oxygen for them,” Bessent added.

This pressure campaign from Washington is projected to continue for weeks or even months. Bessent detailed that the US is specifically seeking one of three possible outcomes: a split within the Iranian leadership, a mass uprising by the Iranian people, or an agreement where Tehran fulfils all its commitments.

Furthermore, he revealed that the US had actually attempted to reach an agreement with Iran earlier this year. However, he accused Tehran of undermining it by escalating attacks in the Strait of Hormuz.

“If there were a deal, I guarantee they would abide by it,” he asserted.

For context, the US officially launched ‘Operation Economic Outcast’ last August as a broad campaign to isolate Iran economically. This aggressive operation specifically targets companies, financial institutions, and other entities that assist Tehran in evading US sanctions.

Since then, the US Treasury Department has continued to expand its siege campaign to target aviation networks, various financial institutions, and even Iran’s related cryptocurrency infrastructure.