Could Iran’s regime collapse? Experts assess Bessent’s bid to sever financial lifelines

# Why This Matters The potential severing of Iran's financial networks represents a fundamental escalation in economic warfare that could trigger cascading crises across the Middle East. If the U.S. succeeds in isolating Iran's currency and banking systems—as Treasury Secretary Bessent appears to be pursuing—the immediate consequence would be accelerated hyperinflation, reduced government capacity to pay military and security forces, and mass unemployment in an economy already strained by sanctions. Historically, such economic collapse has preceded either regime transformation or internal instability; Iran's government would face a choice between capitulating to international pressure or intensifying internal repression to maintain control, neither of which offers a stable path forward. The real-world stakes extend beyond Iran itself: a destabilized Iranian state could trigger regional proxy conflicts, refugee flows, and unpredictable responses from Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, whose financial interests are directly threatened by banking restrictions.