Bessent also defended a decision to allow the sale of Iranian oil stuck at sea, saying it would bring more supply into global markets.2 min readMar 23, 2026 05:19 AM IST First published on: Mar 23, 2026 at 05:18 AM IST ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebookUS Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. (Photo: AP)US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has defended American military action in Iran, saying “sometimes you have to escalate to de-escalate” in an interview with NBC News.His comments came just hours after US President Donald Trump wrote on the Truth Social that he was giving Iranian leadership 48 hours to open the Strait of Hormuz or risk US military strikes that “will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!”Bessent defended Trump’s rhetoric, saying it’s “the only language the Iranians understand.”‘All options are on the table’Speaking about Kharg Island, a key hub for Iran’s oil exports, Bessent said “all options are on the table”, including the possibility of sending US troops to secure the site. US officials have said the administration is considering steps to control the island’s oil facilities.Iran has warned it will respond if its energy infrastructure is targeted. A military spokesperson said any such move would lead to strikes on US-linked infrastructure in the region.Story continues below this adAlso read US-Israel-Iran War News Live Updates: Trump and UK’s Starmer discuss need to reopen Strait of Hormuz as strikes continue in Middle EastThe oil the US is allowing to be sold, Bessent said Sunday, “was always going to be sold to the Chinese” at a discount.The treasury secretary added that “we had always planned for this contingency” and called the move “jujitsuing the Iranians” by “using their own oil against them.”Most ReadBessent rejected when asked about why the US would allow Iran to profit off the oil, saying, “Iran already gets a huge amount of the money, because Iran is the largest sponsor of state terrorism, and China has been funding them.” This sale, he added would help the United States’ Asian allies, like Japan, Korea, Indonesia and Malaysia.Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., appeared on “Meet the Press” after Bessent and slammed the treasury secretary’s comments, telling Welker, “This administration has totally lost touch with reality. This war is spinning out of control. Prices are spiking for millions of Americans.”Story continues below this adHe rejected the idea that escalation would lead to calm, saying similar arguments had been used during past wars such as Vietnam and Afghanistan.AdvertisementLoading Recommendations...