US targets Iran’s $7.7B crypto network - report

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said in a Fox News interview on Wednesday that Iran “has a choice to make” between accepting a deal “satisfactory to the United States” or facing “a punishment from our military the likes of which has not been seen in modern history,” warning of severe consequences if Tehran refuses US terms.

"Iran has a choice to make: they can either agree to a piece of paper that is satisfactory to the United States, or they can face a punishment from our military the likes of which has not been seen in modern history. That's the choice they face," Miller said.

The Iran war is driving up the cost of this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, with reduced flight capacity across the Persian Gulf and disrupted supply routes pushing travel packages to rise “three or four times before departure,” according to reporting by Semafor published on Wednesday.

Several governments, including Indonesia, Pakistan and Malaysia, have stepped in with subsidies to help offset higher costs for pilgrims ahead of the annual journey to Mecca, the report added.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said in a Fox News interview on Wednesday that the United States “has all the cards” in its standoff with Iran, adding that President Donald Trump is pursuing a strategy of pressure and deterrence and warning that military options remain available if Tehran escalates or threatens US interests.

"President Trump has enforced the non-proliferation principle of the United States with raw American MIGHT, sending a message not only to the Iranian regime, sending a message not only to the IRGC, but to the whole world, anyone who would think of doing the same." "We have killed and eliminated the evil, wicked, corrupt leadership of Iran," Miller said. "At any point in the future, if Iran decides to do something foolish to threaten America or the world, our military is at the ready to deal with that."

EU lawmaker Hannah Neumann said on Wednesday the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps remains on the EU terror list but warned that its “networks are still up and running” in some member states, calling for efforts to “drain the IRGC’s money, influence and reach inside Europe,” according to remarks made during a European Parliament exchange.

In the exchange, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas responded that the IRGC has been listed as a terrorist organization, while noting ongoing challenges in addressing its influence across Europe. Neumann later urged greater transparency at the European level as a way to strengthen enforcement.

A White House meeting on Wednesday on Iran policy exposed divisions between Vice President JD Vance, who backed continued diplomatic engagement based on Iran’s latest proposal, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who supported increased pressure on Tehran, according to Israel Hayom.

"Two secretaries assessed that at this stage, concessions could not be extracted from Iran without significant pressure while Vance, by contrast, argued that Iran's latest proposal, published by Israel Hayom, showed flexibility that made it possible to move toward an agreement, even an initial one, that would lead to an end to the fighting," the report said. "Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner also joined the discussion and backed Vance's position."