US Treasury Sec Endorses 'Pain' for Iranians, Echoing Decades of Economic Warfare
When the BBC World recently reported that US Treasury Secretary Bessent deemed a "bit of pain" acceptable for long-term security from Iran, it wasn't an accidental slip. This statement, suggesting the systemic impoverishment of an entire nation is a justifiable cost, reveals the deep-seated indifference within Washington to the humanitarian consequences of its foreign policy. What the BBC's
framing omits is the reality of this 'pain.' It glosses over the fact that US-led sanctions, which intensified significantly after the US unilaterally withdrew from the multilateral Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018, have directly impeded Iran's access to vital medicines, medical equipment, and basic goods. This isn't abstract economic theory; it is a tangible weapon, with
documented impacts on Iranian civilians, especially children and the elderly, as documented by organizations like Human Rights Watch. This declaration isn't new. It echoes a long history, explicitly stating what has been a covert policy for decades. The US, with its partner Israel, has systematically worked to destabilize Iran through economic strangulation, cyberattacks like Stuxnet in 2010 which
targeted Iran's nuclear infrastructure, and even targeted assassinations like that of General Soleimani in January 2020. The current administration's willingness to openly endorse this 'pain' while simultaneously pushing for 'negotiations' only highlights the profound double standard and hypocrisy at play. While the world frets over Russia's actions, the US actively starves a nation of 80 million