US Treasury chief relocates to base after Iran threat, NYT reports

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has moved his residence from his home in the Washington area to a military base in response to an Iranian threat against his life, according to the New York Times. Bessent has been at the forefront of the US effort to economically strangle Iran since the onset of the Middle East conflict, promising to inflict "economic asphyxiation" on the Islamic republic through a complex network of sanctions.

Last month, US National Intelligence Chief Jay Clayton cautioned that Tehran had significantly escalated its attempts to target Americans across the Middle East and beyond, with a particular focus on current and former US officials like Bessent, as reported by the Times, citing three sources familiar with the situation. Reports suggest that Iranian plots against US officials have advanced to a more dangerous stage, although the precise level of threat against Bessent remains uncertain.

In light of these escalating threats, the United States has instructed non-essential embassy staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia after a series of attacks attributed to Tehran-backed Houthi fighters. Moreover, the US military has temporarily relocated some aircraft from two British bases following reported threats from Iran.

Diplomatic initiatives aimed at resolving the ongoing war are gaining momentum, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating on Tuesday that the economic pressure on Iran has made further aggression unnecessary.