Blockchain researcher Specter pointed to on-chain data showing that Tether had frozen four Tron wallets holding $131 million worth of USDT. Bessent confirmed on his social media account that these wallets are linked to the Central Bank of Iran.
Bessent stated that the Treasury is committed to disrupting and weakening Iran's illicit financial activities, including its misuse of digital assets. The Minister said that they will continue to prevent the Iranian regime from accessing the money obtained from illegal income schemes.
The asset freeze decision coincided with the collapse of the ceasefire between the United States and Iran. While the USA announced that it had renewed its blockade of Iranian ports, the army's Central Forces Command announced that it had launched a new wave of attacks on Iran. The Iranian army claimed that it carried out an attack with a drone on US military facilities at Al-Ezraq Air Base in Jordan on Tuesday.
This move follows a similar freeze in April. At that time, stablecoin issuer Tether confirmed that it had frozen more than $344 million USDT at the request of US authorities. Bessent announced in May that the USA had seized approximately $1 billion worth of Iranian crypto assets as part of the financial pressure campaign against Iran.
Within the framework of the campaign called Economic Rage, which was launched in March 2025, the Treasury states that it targeted foreign supply networks that support the Iranian army's efforts to acquire weapons. Bessent said in June that the Treasury had frozen the Iranian regime's assets and severely disrupted its economy, and that it would not tolerate any support for the Iranian military.