Bessent takes MAJOR action against Russian bank

G. ROUTE AND THREATENING ROUTES. THROUGH RED SEA. >> Ashley: AND SCOTT BESSENT. ANNOUNCING NEW SANKS, SAYING. UNDER ECONOMIC OPERATION. OUTCAST, WILL TARGET THOSE WHO. PROVIDE MATERIAL TECHNOLOGICAL. OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT THAT ALLOW. IRANIAN REGIME TO MAINTAIN. TERRORIST ENTERPRISE.

WILL TEBOWIN JOS ME NOW. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS MOVE. THIS MORNING? >> GOOD MORNING. I THINK IT MAKES COMPLETE SENSE. AND IT IS INTERESTING HOW THIS. COMES IN CONTEXT OF PRESIDENT. TRUMP'S RECENT PUSH TO ENSURE. UKRAINE IS GIVING FAIR. CONSIDERATION TO DIPLOMAT IG. EFFORT BETWEEN RUSSIA AND. UKRAINE WITH THEIR WAR IN. EUROPE. I THINK IT IS INTERESTING. BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HOLD. COUNTRIES ACCOUNTABLE FOR.

PARTICIPATION AND CONFLICT WITH. IRAN FOR SUPPORT EVEN ECONOMIC. SUPPORT FOR THE IRANIAN REGIME, WE ARE PUTTING OUR MONEY WHERE. OUR MOUTH IS AND THAT WILL MAKE. A BIG DIFFERENCE WHEN OTHER. COUNTRIES ARE PUSHING IRAN INTO. A CORNER OR TO THE NEGOTIATING. TABLE. >> Ashley: THE U.S. DEPARTMENT. OF TREASURY RELEASED A STATEMENT. PUTTING FOREIGN BANKS ON NOTICE. AND BUSINESSES WARNING TODAY'S. ACTION IS FURTHER WARNING TO.

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER. FOREIGN BUSINESSES THERE IS NO. SAFE WAY TO DO BUSINESS WITH. IRAN. DO YOU THINK THEY WILL PAY. ATTENTION TO THIS. WHEN YOU GO FOR PEOPLE'S WALLETS. AND MONEY, IT COUNTS FOR THEM. >> IN SECONDARY SANCTIONS, NOT. JUST SANCTIONING IRANIAN ASSETS, CRACKING DOWN ON COOPERATION IN. COUNTRIES WHO DO BUSINESS WITH. IRAN. THAT IS A BIG CHANGE AND AN.

IMPORTANT CHANGE IT WILL FURTHER. ISOLATE IRAN IN THE MIDDLE EAST. AND IN THE WORLD AT LARGE. THERE ARE REPORTS CHINESE. SATELLITE IMAGERY HAD AIDED. IRANIAN ATTACKS ON U.S. BASES. AND THERE ARE REPORTS HOW. CHINESE SATELLITES WERE BREAKING. UP IN EARTH ORBIT. CONSEQUENCES ARE NOT LIMITED TO. IRANIAN REGIME ITSELF. AMERICA IS CUTTING OFF AT THE. KNEE ANY POSSIBILITY A COALITION.

FORMS THAT IS ABLE TO. MEANINGFULLY SUPPORT OR SUSTAIN. IRAN'S WAR EFFORT. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO VIEW. THIS AS RECKLESS OR ESCALATORY. OR DESPERATE, THIS IS LOGICAL. CONSEQUENCE OF A WHOLE OF. GOVERNMENT APPROACH FROM THE. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO ISOLATE. IRAN AND TURN THE PAGE SO WE CAN. MAINTAIN THE MOMENTUM WE HAVE. WITH ECONOMIC AND MILITARY. STRANGLE-HOLD OVER THE STRAIT OF. HORMUZ. >> Ashley: MY BIGGEST QUESTION.

WITH THIS, WHEN IT COMES TO. RUSSIA, WHAT BENEFIT DO THEY. HAVE WITH EVEN WORKING WITH IRAN. WITH ALL THIS GOING ON? >> IT IS A GOOD QUESTION. ASHLEY, IRAN HAS SUPPLIED RUSSIA. WITH CRITICAL MUNITIONS TO. INCLUDE THE SHAHEAD DRONE, THAT. IS A MAIN STAY IN UKRAINE. THERE HAS BEEN SOME EXCHANGE OF. OTHER DEFENSE ARTICLES ASK.

COMPONENTS FOR CRITICAL DEFENSE. EQUIPMENT. OTHERWISE, RUSSIA WANTS IRAN TO. BE A CHECK ON U.S. BANDWIDTH AND. FOCUS ELSEWHERE. I DON'T THINK THEY PERHAPS ARE. NOT HELPING IRAN MILITARILY, PERHAPS NOT EXPLICIT. COOPERATION, RUSSIA IS PROBABLY. MORE THAN HAPPY TO SEE TENSION. BUILD UP IN THE MIDDLE EAST, THAT MEANS THAT IS MORE. INTELLIGENCE, ECONOMIC AND. MILITARY BANDWIDTH THAT THE WEST.

IS NOT ABLE TO DEVOTE TOWARD. HELPING UKRAINE DEFEND ITSELF. RUSSIA SEES THIS AS A SIMPLE. MATH QUESTION OF BEING ABLE TO. DIVIDE AMERICA'S RESOURCES. THROUGHOUT THE WORLD WHILE THEY. TRY TO SECURE THEIR INTERESTS IN. EASTERN EUROPE AND WESTERN ASIA. MORE THAN HAPPY TO SEE THESE. KIND OF TENSIONS CONTINUE AND. LAST AND THAT IS WHY THERE IS. ECONOMIC ACTIVITY THAT IS WORTH.

SANCTIONING. >> Ashley: BEFORE I LET YOU GO, I NEED YOUR TAKE ON WHAT IS. GOING ON BETWEEN UKRAINE AND. RUSSIA. PRESIDENT TRUMP PUT ON TRUTH. SOCIAL BOTH SIDES AGREE TO STOP. STRIKES ON ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE. AREAS, PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR. ZELENSKYY RESPONDED IF OUR. AMERICAN PARTNERS CAN ENSURE. RUSSIA IS GENUINELY READY TO. STOP THIS WAR AIMED AT. DESTROYING LIFE, UKRAINE WILL. TAKE OWN DEESCALATORY STEPS. YOUR THOUGHTS BEFORE I LET YOU.

GO? >> PRESIDENT TRUMP IS FRUSTRATED. AND ENTERING THE STATE WHERE. THIS IS EXCHANGES OF TERRORISM, TAKING ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE, MILITARY TARGETS NEAR CIVILIAN. INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT IS NO WAY. TO CONTINUE THIS WAR. I THINK WE'RE AT A REAL STAND. STILL AND THE TIME IS NOW FOR A. PEACEFUL RESOLUTION SO WE CAN. TRY TO MOVE BEYOND IT. IT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE THE. BATTLEFIELD IS CHANGING AND MORE.

CIVILIAN INFRASTRUCTURE WILL GET. HURT IN.