EU joins U.S. sanctions push on Iran

The European Union has formally joined the U.S.-led sanctions campaign against Iran․

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent praised the EU for signing on to “Operation Economic Outcast,” the U.S.-led sanctions campaign aimed at severing Tehran from the global financial system.

“We appreciate their strong and early stance,” Bessent said in a social media post Thursday evening stateside. “The world is sending a clear message to the Iranian regime: We will not stop until every remaining financial lifeline has been severed,” he added.

The comments came after Brussels, in a statement on Aug. 31, said it supported efforts aimed at stopping the “destabilizing activities” by Tehran and resuming peace talks, including through Operation Economic Outcast, to apply additional economic pressure against the Islamic regime.

The bloc’s endorsement came as the Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank governors gathered in Asheville, North Carolina, earlier this week.

“The United States stands firm with our allies in ensuring the murderous Iranian regime cannot exploit the global financial system to fund its nuclear ambitions, weapons programs, and terror proxies,” Bessent said in the Thursday post.

The Trump administration launched the “Operation Economic Outcast” campaign in late August, targeting Iran’s access to digital assets, advanced technology procurement, gold reserves, commercial aviation and shipping.