Rick Scott: Turkey ‘Not Our Friend,’ Accuses It of 'Actively Funding Iranian Terrorists'

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) said Monday that Turkey is “not our friend” after the Treasury Department sanctioned a Turkish bank accused of helping Iran move money overseas.

Scott made the remark while reposting Treasury’s announcement on X. The department accused Golden Global Bank and its subsidiaries of handling tens of millions of dollars for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF).

“Turkey is NOT OUR FRIEND. Just this past week, @SecScottBessent had to crack down on them for actively funding Iranian terrorists who are killing our servicemen and women,” Scott wrote. “This is about keeping our country and our families safe. We cannot rest until anyone with ties to the evil Iranian regime is held accountable—no matter who they are.”

The Treasury Department announced the sanctions as part of Operation Economic Outcast, an effort to cut off the Iranian regime’s sources of money.

The department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said Turkey-based Golden Global Bank handled tens of millions of dollars in transactions for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force.

Treasury also accused the bank of providing correspondent banking services to Iranian financial institutions, allowing Iran to move money internationally.

“Financial institutions continue to find out the hard way that we are serious about Operation Economic Outcast,” Bessent said.

“While we hope no more banks will need to be sanctioned, that ultimately depends on how quickly the international community comes to its senses and ceases support of the murderous Iranian regime,” he added. “We know who you are, we know where you are, and we will continue to take action together with our allies and partners until we have buried the head of the Iranian snake.”

Treasury said Golden Global Bank was created to help Iran transfer oil revenue from China to Turkey, where the money could be converted into cash and gold.

The bank also allegedly offered correspondent banking services to Iranian financial institutions and enabled transactions through accounts controlled by the IRGC-Quds Force and its proxies.

Treasury said those accounts included ones linked to Turkish businessman Sitki Ayan and his companies. The United States sanctioned Ayan’s network in 2022 over allegations that it moved hundreds of millions of dollars connected to IRGC-Quds Force oil sales.

Golden Global Bank was sanctioned under an executive order targeting Iran’s economy. Its two Turkey-based subsidiaries, Golden Global Varlik Kiralama Anonim Sirketi and Golden Global Portfoy Yonetimi Anonim Sirketi, were also designated.

The sanctions block any property belonging to the designated entities that is held in the United States or controlled by Americans. U.S. persons are generally barred from conducting transactions involving the sanctioned companies.

Bessent announced Operation Economic Outcast on August 24. The campaign targets the banks, financial networks, oil revenue, and sanctions-evasion operations that Treasury says Iran uses to fund its government and terrorist proxy groups.