Iran has warned of retaliation after the United States expanded its economic sanctions on Tehran, with Iranian officials insisting that the country is prepared to withstand Washington’s latest pressure campaign.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf dismissed the impact of the new measures, arguing that the US lacked the economic leverage to further isolate Iran from its trading partners. He also claimed that countries doing business with Tehran were not prepared to comply with Washington’s demands.
The warning followed US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s announcement of additional measures aimed at cutting off what Washington described as Iran’s “economic lifeline”. Bessent said countries that continued commercial ties with Tehran could eventually face restrictions that would threaten their access to the dollar-based financial system.
However, the Treasury did not immediately specify which countries could face such penalties or when they would be imposed. Washington instead said trading partners would be given time to comply. The US separately announced sanctions targeting 60 individuals, entities and vessels, while several Chinese financial institutions suspected of supporting Iran’s oil trade were not included.
Iran Warns of Response
Following the announcement, Ghalibaf accused Washington of making threats that would have little effect on Iran’s international relationships.
He said Iran’s trading partners had indicated through public statements and private communications that they did not intend to be influenced by the new US measures.
Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh also declared that Tehran was “fully prepared” for the sanctions. He said Iran had developed its own economic tools to counter the pressure and warned that the country could respond more aggressively if its interests were threatened.
Madanizadeh further claimed that China and Russia had not accepted the US measures and suggested that other countries could also resist Washington’s demands.
Iran had already warned that any threat to its infrastructure could trigger both economic and military retaliation. Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi, a spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reportedly threatened attacks against US interests and key energy chokepoints if Iranian infrastructure came under attack.
Tensions Remain High
The latest sanctions come as Washington seeks to increase pressure on Tehran amid an unresolved conflict that has driven up energy prices and heightened concerns over regional security.
The US and Israel launched strikes on Iran nearly six months ago. Although major attacks have decreased in recent weeks, efforts to find a diplomatic settlement have yet to produce a lasting breakthrough.
Washington is also looking for ways to curb Iranian attacks and threats against shipping in the Gulf and, more recently, the Red Sea.
The conflict has significantly damaged Iran’s conventional military capabilities and placed additional pressure on its economy. However, Tehran retains missile and drone capabilities that could threaten US interests, neighbouring Gulf states and commercial shipping around the Strait of Hormuz.
The status of Iran’s nuclear programme also remains uncertain, with the US and Israel continuing to view the programme as a major security concern.
The latest exchange of threats highlights the growing risk that Washington’s economic pressure could trigger a broader Iranian response, even as both sides remain locked in a conflict with no clear diplomatic resolution in sight.
Comments are closed.