Iran condemns US seizure of $1 billion in cryptocurrency, cites Shakespeare

U.S. authorities have frozen nearly $1 billion in cryptocurrency assets tied to Iranian financial networks, describing the holdings as part of sanction‑evading activity. In response, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei quoted Shakespeare’s *Macbeth*, labeling Washington a “dwarfish thief” and demanding the immediate return of the funds, which Tehran says belong to ordinary Iranian citizens, not sanctioned entities.

Tehran rejected the U.S. justification that the seizure was a lawful sanctions enforcement action, arguing that the assets were unlawfully appropriated and that the move deepens economic pressure on Iran. The United States has not issued a public reply to Iran’s literary rebuke. Analysts note that the dispute highlights the growing use of blockchain‑monitoring tools to seize digital assets in the context of sanctions policy.