DUBAI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Iran said on Friday that its response to any new US threats would be “devastating” after Washington pledged to impose the toughest financial penalties in history with the aim of toppling the Iranian leadership.

US Treasury chief Scott Bessent’s comments on Thursday followed a warning from President Donald Trump of economic consequences against any country that provided “any type of lifeline to Iran.” Bessent promised details on Monday.

The chief of staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, Major General Ali Abdollahi, said the Islamic Republic’s reaction would be broad and decisive.

“With preparedness across land, sea, air, air defense and cyberspace, Iran’s armed forces will respond to the enemy’s new threats with crushing, punishing and devastating responses,” Abdollahi was quoted as saying by Iranian media.

Iran’s powerful parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the country’s main negotiator in mediated negotiations with the United States, said Washington appeared to have concluded it could not prevail in its direct military confrontation.

“We must make plans to deal with the unjust sanctions so that we can overcome them,” he said during a visit to neighboring Iraq, accusing the US and Israel of resorting to what he said was economic and “cognitive” warfare.

Oil prices steadied on Friday but were on track for a second weekly rise on concern over Gulf energy exports. Oil hit a more than three-week high on Thursday after the sanctions threat, intended to force Iran to agree to an end to a........

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