Tehran, August 23, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Iran has warned neighbouring countries and other states against joining what it described as a US-led “economic pressure campaign”, saying Tehran could regard countries that participate as enemies.
Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said in an interview with state-run IRIB TV that Tehran would initially seek dialogue with countries involved in the campaign and urge them not to participate in what he called an American “economic war”.
However, Rezaei warned that Iran could target the interests of countries that continued to support the US campaign. He also said Tehran would not allow oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf if regional countries backed the US pressure campaign.
Rezaei further said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the United States fulfils its commitments under a peace memorandum of understanding signed between Tehran and Washington in June, Xinhua News Agency reported.
His comments came days after US President Donald Trump announced what he described as the “most crushing economic operation ever taken” against countries providing a lifeline to Iran. Trump said the measures would amount to economic warfare and isolation on an unprecedented scale.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, meanwhile, rejected the latest US measures, saying Washington’s campaign was destined to fail like previous efforts to pressure Tehran.
“14 years ago: ‘Most crippling sanctions in history.’ Failed. 8 years ago: ‘Maximum pressure.’ Failed. 5 months ago: ‘Unconditional surrender.’ Failed. Today: ‘Most crushing economic operation ever.’ Bound to fail,” Araghchi said in a post on X.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi also accused Washington of escalating pressure under the label of “economic war”, arguing that the move reflected the failure of previous US efforts against Tehran.
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