Iran warns countries joining US ‘economic war’ will be treated as enemies

Photo: Collected

Iran will consider any country that joins the United States’ “economic war” against Tehran an enemy, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Mohsen Rezaei has warned.

He said Iran would not allow “a single drop of oil” to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf if any country participates in what he called an “economic war” against Iran.

The Iranian official also said Tehran would adjust its military strategy and diplomatic conduct in response to the situation. He claimed that after failing to achieve its objectives through military attacks, the United States is now attempting to shift the situation in its favor through sanctions and economic pressure.

Earlier, Iran targeted countries in the region that host US military bases. Talks between Iran and the United States are currently suspended.

However, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Friday that it was time to end the six-month-long confrontation.

The United States has imposed stringent economic sanctions on Iran and has also urged other countries to sever their economic ties with Tehran.

Meanwhile, Rezaei said US attacks on Iran had increased the “desire” among several countries to acquire nuclear weapons.

In an interview, he said that if a country cannot protect itself from attack despite complying with international rules, the question arises: “Why should we not acquire nuclear weapons?”

According to Rezaei, the US attacks on Iran have led some countries to conclude that acquiring nuclear weapons may be a more effective means of establishing deterrence.

He said Iran was targeted even when it was a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and was cooperating extensively with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Rezaei claimed that this has created a perception worldwide that neither membership in the NPT nor the IAEA can provide an effective security guarantee. As a result, he said, the desire to acquire nuclear weapons has increased among various countries.

The SNSC secretary also issued a warning over the Strait of Hormuz. He said that if any country joins economic pressure or sanctions against Iran, Tehran could respond by taking measures including halting oil shipments through the strategically important waterway.