Tehran warns Gulf neighbours against joining US ‘economic D-Day’
Tehran has cautioned its Gulf neighbours against joining Donald Trump’s “economic D-Day” sanctions after the US said it would look to hit Iran’s financial interests, reports BritPanorama.
Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei stated that Tehran will target the interests of Gulf states that align with the US president’s sanctions. He remarked, “If the countries surrounding Iran join the Americans in their economic war, not a drop of oil will leave the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, and we will also target other oil export routes from the Persian Gulf,” according to Al-Jazeera.
This stance follows Trump’s declaration of “Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale” against Iran, branding it as the “toughest sanctions in history.” In response, Tehran accused Trump of enacting “economic terrorism.”
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei remarked that the impending US announcement of new sanctions signifies an “assertion of extraterritorial sovereignty over every independent member state of the United Nations.”
The escalating tensions come as shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has seen a drastic decline amid faltering US-Iran negotiations. The passage, crucial for global energy supply, is pivotal to both nations, further complicating regional dynamics.
Thus, Iran’s threats underscore ongoing regional instability as the repercussions of US sanctions ripple through Gulf alliances.
