A diplomatic exchange has emerged between Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The conflict began when Secretary Bessent alleged that the Iranian government has been wasting significant financial resources on activities abroad while its domestic population faces economic hardship and struggles to afford basic necessities.

In response to these accusations, Ghalibaf utilized social media to issue a sharp rebuttal. He dismissed the Treasury Secretary’s claims and shifted the focus toward the United States' own fiscal choices. Ghalibaf specifically criticized the US for its financial support of Israel and the maintenance of approximately 750 military bases globally. He characterized the United States as a "failing empire" and suggested that the US government should prioritize its own citizens' needs over its current international military and geopolitical commitments.

While the Treasury Secretary’s original comments focused on the internal economic management of the Iranian state, Ghalibaf’s response serves as a direct challenge to the legitimacy of US critiques. The exchange highlights the ongoing tension between the two nations, with both sides using the other's economic and military policies to frame their respective domestic and foreign agendas. No further official statements from the US Treasury Department regarding Ghalibaf's specific remarks have been issued at this time.