US is ‘strangling’ Iran’s economy, energy secretary says
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- US Energy Secretary Chris Wright says Washington is using economic pressure to force Iran to change its policies or bring about a new government.
- Wright says the US military’s main role is restricting Iran’s energy exports while maintaining that Washington remains open to a negotiated agreement.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Washington is deliberately “strangling” Iran’s economy as part of a strategy aimed at forcing a change in Tehran’s policies or government.
“We are strangling their economy to try to bring either a change in policy from the existing regime or a new regime,” Wright told CBS News’ Face the Nation on Sunday.
Wright said the US military’s “biggest role” in the campaign was preventing Iran from exporting crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas and other energy-related goods.
His comments come as Washington continues to apply intense economic pressure on Tehran while military operations around the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted regional energy shipments. Reuters reported that US sanctions and a naval blockade have sharply constrained Iran’s oil exports and access to foreign currency.
Despite describing economic pressure as a tool to force changes in Tehran, Wright said the US remained open to reaching an agreement with Iran.
“We are always ready to make a deal,” he said, adding that President Donald Trump’s objective was to pursue a negotiated solution and use military force only when “absolutely necessary.”
The remarks come as diplomatic efforts remain stalled, with Washington seeking a broader agreement covering Iran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz.
The Trump administration has increasingly combined military pressure with sanctions and restrictions on Iran’s energy exports, while Tehran has continued to resist US demands.
