TEHRAN Aug 22, 2026 — Iran’s top security official has threatened to halt all oil shipments through the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz if any neighboring countries support new U.S. economic measures against Tehran.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, issued the warning in an interview with state broadcaster IRIB that aired Saturday. “If the countries surrounding Iran join the Americans in the economic war, not a single drop of oil will leave the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” he said. Rezaei added that Iran would also target alternative oil export routes and treat participating neighbors as enemies by striking their interests.
The comments come as U.S. President Donald Trump intensifies pressure on Iran, describing planned measures as an unprecedented “economic war” and “Economic D-Day” aimed at isolating Tehran through tighter sanctions on oil networks, financial transfers, and related entities. Trump has also repeatedly claimed the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz as American territory.
Rezaei said the strait remains closed and will not reopen until the United States “corrects its behaviour.” He noted ongoing discussions with Oman over management of the waterway and stated that transit fees would be imposed.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil typically passes in peacetime, has been at the center of tensions since a broader U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran began in late February 2026. Oil flows through the waterway have been significantly reduced amid the standoff, contributing to elevated global energy prices.
Iranian officials have long used threats to disrupt Gulf energy exports as leverage in confrontations with the West. Rezaei’s latest remarks raise the prospect of further escalation if regional states cooperate with Washington’s sanctions push.
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