# U.S. Treasury Chief Vows to Target Iranian ‘Bad Actors’ Across Airlines, Shipping and Digital Assets

*Wednesday, September 2, 2026 at 12:07 PM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk*

**Published**: 2026-09-02T12:07:43.367Z (1h ago)
**Category**: geopolitics | **Region**: Middle East
**Importance**: 8/10
**Sources**: OSINT
**Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/articles/16611.md
**Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries

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**Deck**: The U.S. Treasury Secretary says Washington will “systematically take out” Iran’s bad actors in airlines, maritime activity and digital assets. The push signals a wider sanctions and enforcement campaign aimed at the infrastructure that enables Iran’s reach abroad.

Washington is signalling a broader economic campaign against Iran by promising to squeeze not just individuals but the networks that move people and money.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent said in a Fox News interview on 2 September that the United States will "systematically take out" Iran's "bad actors," specifically mentioning airlines, maritime targets and digital assets.

Her comments point to pressure on three pillars of Iran’s external activity. Targeting airlines can affect how people and goods travel in and out of the country. Focusing on maritime activity matters because so much trade moves by sea. And going after digital assets suggests attention to financial channels that operate online.

Such measures typically mean sanctions, asset freezes and tighter regulations rather than direct force. They can make banks, insurers, shippers and technology firms outside Iran more cautious about any dealings that might be linked to the country, for fear of breaching U.S. rules.

The remarks land at a moment of wider friction. Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of attacking a Saudi vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. A U.K. maritime monitoring body has reported a separate security incident involving a tanker and casualties in the same area. Peru has severed diplomatic relations with Iran, citing Iran’s role in escalating Middle East conflicts and the impact on trade through Hormuz, while keeping consular ties.

Inside Iran, senior official Mohsen Rezaee has used stark language about the country’s response, saying Iran has a new strategy on the battlefield, in diplomacy and in countering economic pressure.

For energy markets and global shipping, the question now is how far the United States will extend these promised actions against Iranian-linked airlines, maritime operators and digital channels, and how other countries and companies adjust their own exposure in response.