Tehran, Iran – Iran's top security official, Mohsen Rezaei, issued a stark warning to regional neighbors on Saturday, August 22, stating that any country cooperating with new United States economic measures against Tehran would be considered an "enemy." Rezaei, the new hardline leader of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, threatened to target the interests of such nations and disrupt critical oil-shipping routes in the Persian Gulf if they join what he called the "economic war" waged by the US.
Iran Calls US Sanctions "Desperate"
The threats from Rezaei came as the US prepares to announce further punitive economic measures on Iran. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to detail these new sanctions on Monday, August 24, describing them as "the toughest sanctions in history." Last week, US President Donald Trump initiated a new campaign to increase pressure on the Iranian economy, calling it "the most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country." Washington aims to isolate and weaken Iran's economy, with some US officials indicating the goal is to "collapse this regime."[theguardian+4]
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the looming sanctions as a "desperate" ploy. "The fact that [US leaders] have moved on from military operations… to bringing up the same old plans shows that they are desperate," Araghchi said in a video posted on Telegram on Sunday. He insisted Iran remains unbowed, stating, "We have never been afraid. All of their actions – whether blockades or other military moves they have made – have failed, and this new issue of theirs will fail as well." Araghchi urged Washington to engage with Iran respectfully to find a "solution based on justice and honor."[theguardian+5]
Economic Strain and Regional Tensions
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged the severe challenges facing the Iranian people. He stated that Trump had plunged his country into a "full-scale economic, military and security war." Pezeshkian noted, "I understand we have many problems in society right now. We are trying to prevent these as much as we can." He added that the government is striving "with all our hearts to overcome inflation, livelihood problems, unemployment, and to secure the future of the people, so that they can live with dignity and pride."[theguardian+1]
Rezaei's appointment this month as the head of the Supreme National Security Council is widely seen as a move to harden Tehran's political and military stance. His public statements since taking the role have been his most extensive. He warned that if neighboring countries "refused to distance themselves" from the United States, Iran would "harm" their interests. This includes a threat to target oil-shipping routes out of the Persian Gulf, specifically mentioning alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz. Rezaei also claimed Iran had "not yet attacked any American economic interests," but warned, "if they want to impose economic sanctions on us, the United States has oil and economic companies around Iran and elsewhere, and we will strike them."[theguardian+12]
Strait of Hormuz and International Law
The new US sanctions follow nearly six months of conflict, which included US and Israeli airstrikes against Iran on February 28. Oil shipments in the Strait of Hormuz have been at a virtual standstill, with Tehran threatening to strike any unauthorized oil tankers attempting to transit the vital waterway. Rezaei asserted Iran's control over what was previously considered an international waterway. He alsomentioned ongoing discussions with Oman regarding the management of the strait and the imposition of fees.[timesofisrael+3]
Iran'sForeign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, condemned the imminent US sanctions, calling them an "assertion of extraterritorial sovereignty over every independent member state of the United Nations." Baghaeiargued that such "secondary sanctions" have "no foundation in international law" and violate the principle of sovereign equality under the UN Charter. He warned that these measures could ultimately erode national sovereignty and lead to a return to "full-scale classic colonialism."[thefederal+5]
The UShas urged cooperation from its allies and major trading partners, including China, which bought over 80% of Iran's shipped oil in 2025. However, Beijing has called for diplomacy in response to the escalating tensions. Rezaei's warnings underscore Iran's readiness to escalate its response if regional nations align with Washington's intensified economic pressure.[aa+4]
Broader Implications and Future Steps
The Iranian security chief also hinted that the ongoing conflict could lead Iran to reconsider its stated policy against developing nuclear weapons. He further accused the United States of increasing global nuclear insecurity, arguing that countries now see that participating in international monitoring efforts, as Iran has done, offers no protection against attack.[timesofisrael]
The threats from Iran's top security official signal Tehran's firm resolve to resist the US "economic war." The warnings to regional neighbors and threats against oil routes highlight the potential for wider destabilization in an already volatile Middle East. As the US prepares to roll out its new sanctions, the international community watches closely for how these measures, and Iran's promised "seismic" retaliation, will unfold.[thefederal+1]
