According to Iran's Fars News Agency, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf posted a meme in response to comments by US Treasury Secretary Bessenter, writing, "Ready to be possessed by a ghost?" Bessenter had previously stated that the US's "economic orphanage operation" against Iran was yielding results, with the Iranian rial falling to a historic low and crude oil shipments dropping to zero last month, adding that the US would continue to exert pressure. The meme stitched together the trends of various indicators, including Brent crude oil and diesel prices, the 10-year US Treasury yield, junk bond spreads, consumer confidence, housing affordability, and net foreign investor purchases of US Treasuries, into a "ghost" shape, satirizing the multiple pressures facing the US economy. The meme also featured David Zervos, Bessenter's new special advisor, who had previously stated in 2019 that he wouldn't cut his hair before the Federal Reserve cut interest rates.
