In a post on his X account on Monday, Gharibabadi directly challenged US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s threats against Iran, highlighting a contradiction between Washington’s claims of having crippled Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities and its decision to launch what Bessent calls the largest financial offensive in history.

“Mr. Bessent! Your narrative simply does not add up: You say Iran’s military capabilities have been ‘dismantled,’ 100% of its military factories have been ‘destroyed,’ and its nuclear program has been ‘buried’; yet for this same Iran, the ‘largest financial offensive in history’ and the mobilization of ‘all US institutions and authorities’ have become necessary! Is this a victory, or an admission of America’s defeat?!” the Iranian deputy minster wrote.

Gharibabadi’s remarks came after Bessent claimed that the US is preparing an unprecedented campaign of economic isolation against Iran, while President Donald Trump claimed that Washington would launch its most crushing economic operation against the country. Bessent has also claimed that the US would use its “full might” to pressure other countries into cutting economic ties with Iran.