WASHINGTON (The Thursday Times) — US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has moved from his home in Washington to an undisclosed military base after threats to his life from Iran, people familiar with the matter said, as he leads the US economic pressure campaign against Tehran.
The severity of the threats was not clear. Concern grew after an aerial photograph of the Georgetown house he bought for $12.5 million shortly after taking office in January 2025 was published in the US press, allowing the property to be located, one of the people said. “The news media has an obligation to act responsibly amid growing threats against public officials,” the person added.
A Treasury spokesperson said “the secretary will not be deterred by the Iranian regime’s threats and remains committed to executing Operation Economic Outcast and maintaining the blockade, which together are collapsing Iran’s economy”.
The man running the squeeze
Bessent has led Operation Economic Outcast since August, a sanctions and pressure campaign meant to force Tehran to stop attacks on shipping and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. It runs alongside a US naval blockade of Iranian ports announced in April, and has included sanctions on Middle Eastern bank branches and other financial firms that handle transactions with Iran.
A senior US intelligence official warned in a memo late last month that Iranian plots against US personnel and citizens had reached an advanced stage, according to people familiar with the matter. Iran has previously denied plotting attacks on officials or people on US soil.
The move comes as Iran insists that the Strait of Hormuz will stay shut until Washington meets its conditions, and as Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the economic campaign is so devastating that major combat operations are not needed.
