U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States is offering Iran incentives and pressure measures as part of a negotiation process [1].

The approach signals a strategic effort by the Trump administration to bring Iran to the negotiating table through a combination of economic rewards and punitive actions. This dual-track strategy aims to resolve long-standing tensions while maintaining a level of leverage over Tehran's decision-making.

Speaking Tuesday at the Economic Club of New York, Bessent said the current diplomatic climate is a structured progression. He said the administration is employing a four-stage pressure campaign [4] to achieve its objectives. This framework is intended to create a sequence of outcomes that encourage Iranian cooperation.

"We are offering Iran carrots, and then there are sticks," Bessent said [1].

Bessent said the resolution of these tensions would not happen overnight. He characterized the diplomatic effort as a long-term trajectory rather than a quick fix. "This is going to be an arc of a negotiation," Bessent said [1].

The secretary said the administration is prepared for a gradual timeline. "It is going to be a process," Bessent said [2].

While the administration maintains these pressure measures, reports indicate a specific limitation to the current "sticks." Some sources said the U.S. is not targeting Iran's energy infrastructure amid the ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran [3]. This suggests a calibrated approach to pressure that avoids certain sectors of the Iranian economy to prevent wider escalation.

“"We are offering Iran carrots, and then there are sticks."”

The use of a 'carrots and sticks' framework indicates that the U.S. is attempting to balance maximum pressure with diplomatic off-ramps. By structuring the approach as a four-stage campaign, the administration is signaling that it views the negotiation as a phased process where concessions are tied to specific benchmarks of Iranian behavior. The decision to avoid targeting energy infrastructure suggests a strategic effort to maintain economic pressure without triggering a full-scale regional energy crisis.