Bessent: The U.S. has seized nearly $500 million in Iranian cryptocurrency assets

Techub News, according to crypto.news, U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent stated that the United States has seized nearly $500 million in Iranian cryptocurrency assets through "Operation Economic Fury," including $344 million in Tether frozen on April 23. He noted that the Iranian currency has depreciated by 60% to 70% and is in the midst of a currency crisis.

The operation was ordered by President Trump in March 2025, aiming to systematically cut off Iran's financial channels. Tether froze two Tron addresses at the request of the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, and Chainalysis confirmed that the relevant wallets are linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard and central bank intermediary addresses. Bessent warned that the sanctions would prevent Iran from paying for military expenses or funding its proxy networks.