Iran security chief threatens US economic interests over sanctions push
Iran's new top security chief Mohsen Rezaei threatened US economic interests and warned countries against joining Washington's campaign to increase pressure on Tehran, days after President Donald Trump announced an "economic D-Day" against Iran.
"If he [Trump] wants to take certain actions, our response will be an equivalent, earthquake-like retaliation," Rezaei said in Tehran on Saturday.
He warned that countries joining US economic measures would be considered enemies, adding that Tehran would initially seek talks before taking action against their interests.
Rezaei also threatened US commercial interests if Washington imposed further sanctions. "The US has many oil companies and economic interests around Iran and in other places; well, we will hit those," he said.
Trump announced a new economic pressure campaign last week, while US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has promised the "toughest sanctions in history."
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Rezaei also argued that US and Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities had undermined confidence in the global non-proliferation system. Iran remains a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
He separately said Iran and Oman had agreed on a transit route through the Strait of Hormuz, although negotiations were not complete, and warned Washington against hostile military moves around the waterway.
"If they make any movement along the southern route [Strait of Hormuz], we will hit them," he said. Rezaei, a former commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was appointed secretary of the Supreme National Security Council earlier this month.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
