“So you’re financing Hegseth, the failed TV host, at rates unseen since 2007, so he can play ‘war minister’ in our backyard,” Qalibaf wrote on his personal X account.

The top Iranian official pointed to 30-year US bond yields topping 5% for the first time since the 2008 global financial crisis. “You know what’s more insane than $39 trillion in debt?” he added. “Paying pre-2008 crisis interest rates to bankroll this war game, only to land yourself a brand new global financial crash.”

His broadside came as rising benchmark borrowing costs signal mounting inflationary expectations and dearer credit. Tehran argues that higher yields translate directly into US household pain from what it calls a failed campaign to force Iranian submission. “The squeeze is on,” Qalibaf said.