Chicago – August 23, 2026
Iran’s newly appointed hardline national security adviser, Mohsen Rezaei, has issued a severe warning to Gulf states, threatening “seismic” retaliation if they cooperate with upcoming US sanctions aimed at crippling Tehran’s economy.
In an interview with state-run media aired Saturday, Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, declared that any nation joining Washington’s “economic war” would be considered an enemy, with its interests targeted. He specifically cautioned that Iran would ensure “not a single drop of oil” leaves the Persian Gulf or the Strait of Hormuz, and could also strike alternative oil export routes from the region.
The threat comes as the Trump administration prepares to announce what it calls the “toughest sanctions in history” on Iran, focusing on financial penalties intended to pressure the Iranian leadership. Rezaei emphasized that while Iran has so far targeted only military bases, it retains the option to attack US economic and oil interests across the region if new sanctions are imposed.
Tehran has condemned the planned measures as “economic terrorism,” while diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the months-long standoff remain stalled.
