Iran's Chief Negotiator Warns of Military Response and Total Blockade of Oil Exports if US Tightens Sanctions

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament who also serves as Iran's chief negotiator for ending the war, has issued a strong warning that Iran will not hesitate to take military action against efforts by the United States and the West to tighten sanctions and blockades.

In particular, he threatened that if Iran's oil export routes are blocked, the oil exports of all other countries passing through the Persian Gulf will also be completely cut off.

According to Iran's state-run IRNA news agency on September 1 (local time), Speaker Ghalibaf made the remarks during his first televised address to the nation, expressing a strong resolve to resist the United States.

Ghalibaf warned, "If the enemies tighten the blockade, we will respond decisively with military force, and everyone will pay the price for it."

Regarding the issue of oil exports, he specifically stated, "If the enemy tries to prevent our oil exports in the Persian Gulf, no one else will be able to export oil from here either."

This means that if Iran's oil exports are hit by sanctions, it will step up the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global oil transportation, to completely cut off oil exports from countries in the Gulf region.

He also downplayed the effectiveness of the recent additional US sanctions against Iran.

"Many of the newly announced sanctions are already things that were previously in place," he claimed, adding, "The enemies are currently focusing on the psychological aspects of an economic war rather than inflicting substantive blows."

Targeting the West's maritime control moves, he also emphasized the justification for Iran's military response, stating, "A maritime blockade is clearly considered a military action under international law."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.