READOUT: Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent’s Meeting with Minister of Finance and National Economy Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain

WASHINGTON – On Friday, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent met with Bahrain Minister of Finance and National Economy Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa. Secretary Bessent and Minister Al-Khalifa discussed the strong U.S.-Bahrain partnership, with Minister Al-Khalifa thanking the United States for its staunch defense of Bahrain against attacks by Iran. Secretary Bessent emphasized that the United States seeks to deter future assaults by Iran and to ensure that energy markets are not further impacted, and thanked Minister Al-Khalifa for Bahrain’s continued collaboration in cracking down on Iranian illicit financing. The Secretary also welcomed updates on Bahrain’s efforts to build a strong digital finance regulatory framework, including for stablecoins.