Iran warned neighboring countries on Saturday against taking part in the U.S. economic campaign, threatening to target their interests and block Gulf oil exports if they cooperate with Washington, according to Anadolu.
‘We urge all neighboring countries not to participate in the economic war with the United States; otherwise, we will regard them as adversaries,’ said Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei, according to state broadcaster IRIB.
‘We are not seeking to expand the conflict, but if the countries surrounding Iran join the United States in the economic war, we will strike their interests,’ he added.
Rezaei warned that if neighboring countries cooperate with the U.S. campaign, ‘not a single drop of oil will leave the Persian Gulf or the Strait of Hormuz.’
He added that Iran would also target other export routes used to ship Gulf oil. ‘If Trump takes action, we will respond with earthquake‑like force,’ Rezaei said.
Rezaei said the Strait of Hormuz remains closed despite U.S. claims to the contrary and will not reopen until Washington ‘corrects its behaviour.’
‘This time, it is the United States that must first fulfill its commitments,’ he said.
Rezaei said Iran controls more than 50% of the Gulf coastline and therefore should manage the Strait of Hormuz.
He added that Iran seeks an end to the conflict in West Asia and ‘stands against warmongers around the world.’
U.S. President Donald Trump announced this week his intention to launch ‘the most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country,’ describing his maximum‑pressure campaign against Iran as ‘Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale.’
Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding in June, facilitated by Pakistani and Qatari mediation, which ended hostilities that had begun in February and aimed to pursue negotiations toward a final agreement.
Since then, talks have stalled amid disputes over the implementation of the memorandum and arrangements for navigating the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil and gas exports.
