Bessent heads to the G20 to rally allies on Iran as tariffs strain ties

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wants to rally the world’s largest economies this week at a time when the United States has disrupted the international order with aggressive tariffs on major allies and an unpopular war on Iran is keeping gas prices high for consumers.

As Bessent hosts meetings of the Group of 20 finance ministers in Asheville, North Carolina, on Monday and Tuesday, he intends to put the focus on a range of issues intended to draw uncontroversial support, from economic growth to addressing mounting debt.

However, the event comes shortly after hostilities renewed between the U.S. and Iran, and as trade friction with Canada spiked following a breakdown in negotiations that led to escalating tariffs.

Daniel Fried, a former assistant secretary of state for European affairs in the George W. Bush administration, said the U.S. may "find it difficult to rally its usual friends and allies” under the circumstances.

If Bessent and other administration officials want international support, he said, they will need to “take greater care in consulting with allies and partners than the U.S. has shown in recent months.”

Bessent wants other countries to help the U.S. isolate Iran in order to force its capitulation during a war that recently crossed its six-month mark. Although the U.S. struck Iran again on Sunday, the administration has previously signaled its intention to focus on economic pressure rather than military action to achieve its goals.

Bessent told The Associated Press on Sunday that the Treasury plans to impose sanctions on another bank. He also said the administration is prepared to exact “financial violence if we have to."

So far, President Donald Trump has not followed through on threats of an “economic D-Day” for Iran, instead largely relying on warnings to Iran's trading partners. A particular challenge is China, which is the largest buyer of Iranian oil.

Bessent told the AP that “all options are on the table” in terms of sanctioning Beijing for its continued purchases.

But he rejected the idea that the administration was reluctant to confront China, calling it “a completely false narrative that the media picked up on.” He insisted that China and the U.S. agree on the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

The G20 meetings are taking place in Asheville, which was devastated by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. The natural disaster killed more than 250 people and caused nearly $80 billion in damage from Florida to the Carolinas.

Bessent cites Asheville’s rebuilding as a symbolic backdrop for discussions about economic growth.

“We want the rest of the world to come along with our growth agenda, whether it’s deregulation, the energy independence, and we want to discuss global imbalances, banking regulations, some sovereign debt restructuring for developing countries,” Bessent told the AP.

He added that "the world has this mountain of debt, and we do have to grow our way out of it.”

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey arrives for the G20 Finance Ministerial in Asheville, N.C., Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Chinese Vice Minister of Finance Liao Min, center, listens during the Plenary Session of Current Economic Developments at the G20 Finance Ministerial in Asheville, N.C., Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Canadian Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, center, listens during the Plenary Session of Current Economic Developments at the G20 Finance Ministerial in Asheville, N.C., Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Finance Minsters convene for the Plenary Session of Current Economic Developments at the G20 Finance Ministerial in Asheville, N.C., Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent arrives for the G20 Finance Ministerial in Asheville, N.C., Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Asheville, N.C., Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Poland's Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski arrives for the G20 Finance Ministerial in Asheville, N.C., Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Poland's Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski arrives for the G20 Finance Ministerial in Asheville, N.C., Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Asheville, N.C., Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Asheville, N.C., Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United staged a stunning comeback to recover from its worst start to a European home game by beating Roma 3-2 in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Paris Saint-Germain set a new record as the quickest team to score four goals in European soccer’s top competition by powering into a 4-0 lead after 17 minutes against Villarreal on its way to a 6-0 win.

Elsewhere, Barcelona beat Aston Villa 3-0 and Bayern Munich won 2-0 at Atletico Madrid.

But the biggest drama of the night came at Old Trafford, where United's troubled season looked set to plunge deeper into crisis after going 2-0 down after 17 minutes against Roma.

It was the quickest United had conceded twice in any European game at its iconic stadium. But a rousing second-half performance saw Bruno Fernandes convert a retaken penalty and Matheus Cunha score twice before being sent off to seal a much-needed win for under fire coach Michael Carrick.

The joyous scenes at the end were in stark contrast to earlier, when furious United fans attempted to disrupt the match by throwing tennis balls on the field.

The pre-planned protest was the latest show of dissent from supporters who have long-called for the club’s American owners, the Glazer family, to sell their controlling stake.

A small number of balls were thrown in the 21st minute to mark 21 years since the Glazers’ staged a leveraged buyout of the storied club.

By then Roma had already raced to a 2-0 lead through Matias Soule’s 11th-minute strike and Donyell Malen’s penalty.

It could have been worse by the break, with Roma having more chances to extend the lead. But the game was turned on its head after halftime, with Fernandes’ twice-taken penalty giving the home fans hope and then Cunha sealing the comeback with goals in the 83rd and 86th.

PSG looks like the team to beat again as it chases down a hat trick of Champions League titles, which would see Luis Enrique’s team match the feat of Real Madrid from 2016-18.

Even without the injured Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the French giant had too much firepower for Villarreal, with an early goal blitz effectively putting the game to bed long before halftime at El Madrigal.

Joao Neves, Desire Doue, Senny Mayulu and Fabian Ruiz all scored inside the first 17 minutes. UEFA said it was the fastest any team had reached four goals in a Champions League game.

Ruiz and 17-year-old David Boly, four minutes after coming on as a substitute for his competition debut, added goals in the second half for PSG, which is the only team on 12 points.

There was no goal for newly-crowned Ballon d'Or winner Harry Kane, but Bayern still prevailed at Atletico.

Lennart Karl and Konrad Laimer scored second-half goals for Bayern, which has eight points from four games in the league phase.

Karl capitalized on a defensive blunder to break the deadlock in the 54th and Laimer collected a precise cross from Kane to fire into the roof of the net 20 minutes later.

Raphinha scored twice for Barcelona to end Villa's perfect start to the Champions League.

Lamine Yamal fired the opening goal at Camp Nou in the seventh and Raphinha put the game beyond doubt with a double after the break.

Barcelona moved up to second in the standings, ahead of third-placed Villa on goal difference. The Spanish giant's only loss in the competition came against PSG.

Sporting Lisbon beat Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0, a day after announcing it was parting ways with coach Rui Borges.

Under reserve coach Tiago Fernandes, the Portuguese giant picked up its third win in the Champions League this season, with Issa Doumbia scoring the decisive goal in the game at Stamford Bridge.

Aleksey Batrakov scored two goals in quick succession to seal a 2-0 win for Galatasaray against Stuttgart.

Batrakov opened the scoring in the 12th minute at RAMS Park and struck again three minutes later.

Inter Milan beat Feyenoord 3-0, LASK won 4-0 against Slovan Bratislava and Bodø/Glimt drew 0-0 with Lille.

James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Bayern's Konrad Laimer, centre, celebrates with Harry Kane, right, and Nathaniel Brown after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Barcelona's Raphinha, center, celebrates with Fermin Lopez, left, and Anthony Gordon after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Barcelona and Aston Villa in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

PSG's Fabian Ruiz celebrates after scoring his side's fifth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Villarreal and Paris Saint-Germain in Villarreal, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

Manchester United's Matheus Cunha scores his side's third goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester United and AS Roma in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Manchester United's Matheus Cunha celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester United and AS Roma in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Bayern Munich's Harry Kane holds the Ballon d'Or trophy ahead of the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)

FILE - Aston Villa's head coach Unai Emery celebrates with the trophy after the Europa League final soccer match between Freiburg and Aston Villa in Istanbul, Turkey, on May 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring his side's fifth goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Alaves in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick attends a training session in Manchester, England, Monday Nov. 2, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

Manchester United's head coach Michael Carrick, center, reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Manchester United in London, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)