Iran Warns of Seismic Retaliation Against Nations Joining US Economic War

Iran has issued a stern warning that it will retaliate against any country joining the United States' "economic war" amid stalled diplomatic efforts and a sharp decline in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The warning from top security official Mohsen Rezaei on Saturday preceded planned US announcements regarding new sanctions intended to further pressure the struggling Iranian economy.

Speaking to the IRIB state broadcaster, Mohsen Rezaei appealed to global and neighboring countries to stay out of the US economic offensive. "Any country that takes part in imposing economic restrictions on us will be regarded as an enemy," he stated, warning of "seismic" retaliation. Rezaei cautioned Gulf neighbors that participation in Donald Trump's economic warfare would halt oil exports from the region, including through alternative export routes bypassing the Hormuz chokepoint.

Since the conflict began on February 28, Iran has targeted US military installations and civilian locations, citing claims that Tehran was nearing nuclear weapon development—assertions debunked by US intelligence and the UN's IAEA nuclear watchdog. The US maintains numerous military facilities and thousands of troops across the Middle East and North Africa, including in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Jordan.

These developments followed US President Donald Trump's announcement of an impending "most crushing economic operation" against Iran, alongside threats of severe consequences for nations providing Iran with any lifeline. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reinforced these remarks, urging cooperation from China, which purchases over 80 percent of Iran's oil shipments.

On Sunday, President Masoud Pezeshkian described Iran as being "in a full-scale economic, military and security war" with the US in a televised speech. He noted that Washington's predictions of an internal collapse mirroring Venezuela had failed, praising the nation's resilience and solidarity.

Detailing the planned strategy, Rezaei outlined a three-stage sequence involving initial diplomatic engagement with cooperating nations to de-escalate tensions, followed by targeted strikes against national interests if those nations fail to distance themselves from the United States. Analysts such as Hamidreza Azizi of the Clingendael Institute noted that Tehran's strategy incorporates preemption and disproportionate retaliation to raise the cost of potential attacks.

Iran's neighbors, including Gulf allies caught in the crossfire, face complex strategic calculations. While the UAE and Saudi Arabia have navigated complex diplomatic relationships with Tehran, regional analysts like Simon Mabon and Trita Parsi emphasize that geographical proximity and depleted global oil inventories create strong incentives to avoid uncontrolled escalation.

Historically, Iran has faced decades of international sanctions following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with subsequent measures imposed by the United Nations, the United States, and the European Union over its nuclear program. Although the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) temporarily lifted sanctions in exchange for capped nuclear activities, the US withdrawal in 2018 under Trump reinstated a "maximum pressure" campaign that has continued to shape current economic hostilities.