Key facts
- Iran's Foreign Ministry has warned of consequences for countries that join US economic sanctions.
- Mohsen Rezai, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, stated that any country participating in economic restrictions against Iran will be considered an enemy.
- Rezai threatened that Iran would 'harm' the interests of countries that do not distance themselves from the US.
- Rezai also warned that if countries join the US economic warfare, oil exports from the Gulf region would be significantly impacted.
- Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian described the situation as a full-scale economic, military, and security war with the US.
- The UAE has suspended all trade and financial transactions with Tehran.
Iran has issued strong warnings against countries that align with the United States' economic sanctions campaign, signaling potential retaliation and labeling such nations as enemies. The Iranian Foreign Ministry, through its spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, stated that any complicity with America's actions against the Islamic Republic would have consequences. This warning precedes anticipated new US measures aimed at further isolating Iran's economy.
Mohsen Rezai, the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, echoed these sentiments, asserting that any country participating in the imposition of economic restrictions would be considered an enemy. He warned that Iran would "harm" the interests of nations that do not distance themselves from the US, and specifically threatened that "not even a drop of oil" would leave the Gulf region if countries joined the US "economic war." Rezai also indicated that Iran has more leverage, having only targeted military bases thus far, but could strike US economic interests if sanctions are imposed.
President Masoud Pezeshkian described Iran as being in a "full-scale economic, military and security war" with the US, noting Iran's resilience against predictions of its collapse. He mentioned that Iran's strategy involves initial negotiations with cooperating countries, followed by retaliatory actions if they do not comply. The Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of global oil and gas passes, has been a point of contention, with Iran having previously imposed a blockade.
In a related development, the United Arab Emirates announced on Tuesday that it was suspending all trade and financial transactions with Tehran until further notice. China, a major trading partner for Iran, has criticized the US sanctions initiative, arguing it would not resolve the conflict in the Middle East.