Iran warns neighbors against joining US economic war
Iran has warned neighboring countries not to join Washington's looming "economic D-Day" sanctions campaign, threatening tit-for-tat retaliation against any state that aligns with the United States. Tehran's message matters because Gulf economies depend on oil routes Iran says it can disrupt, and the standoff is set to intensify on Monday.
Mohsen Rezaei, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told state broadcaster IRIB that nearby countries must stay out of what he called the U.S. "economic war." According to Reuters, he said Tehran would "consider them as enemies" if they joined the pressure campaign.
Key Takeaways
- Iran threatened retaliation against neighbors that back Washington's new sanctions push, including possible targeting of regional oil routes.
- U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent plans a Monday press conference on what the U.S. calls "the toughest sanctions in history."
- The UAE, Iran's second-largest trading partner, announced it was cutting economic ties ahead of the renewed U.S. measures.
- Gulf states fear an economic escalation could spill into attacks on energy infrastructure and alternative shipping routes.
- Tehran views economic, diplomatic and military pressure as linked, according to regional analysts cited by Al Jazeera.
Why is Iran threatening its neighbors now?
The warning landed as President Donald Trump prepares a new phase of economic isolation aimed at forcing Tehran toward a deal. Rezaei said that if Trump "wants to do something, we will retaliate in a seismic manner," and that U.S. commercial interests in the region could become targets under further sanctions.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei condemned the imminent announcement as an "assertion of extraterritorial sovereignty over every independent member state of the United Nations." He added that "such secondary sanctions find no foundation in international law."
What is Trump's 'D-Day' economic war?
Washington has branded the upcoming package an economic "D-Day." Bessent is scheduled to hold a press conference at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT) on Monday after promising the toughest sanctions in history on Iran.
Trump has warned of economic consequences for any country providing "any type of lifeline to Iran," with particular focus on China, which buys more than 80 percent of Iran's seaborne oil exports according to 2025 data cited by Reuters. China hosted Iran's deputy foreign minister in Beijing last week, though no details of the talks were released.
Why are Gulf states the most worried?
Gulf governments are caught between U.S. pressure and Iran's ability to disrupt trade. Before the war, the Strait of Hormuz carried roughly a fifth of global oil supplies. Rezaei warned Iran could target oil routes beyond the strait and the interests of countries supporting Washington.
Times of India analysis noted Iran has already demonstrated drone and missile capabilities against U.S. bases and civilian infrastructure across the region. Any widening of the conflict could put ports, power plants and oil facilities at risk.
The UAE's decision to cut ties underscores how quickly the economic front is moving. Iran's oil exports have been virtually halted by the blockade, inflation has surged above 80 percent, and the IMF has forecast a 6.1 percent contraction in Iran's economy this year.
How is Tehran linking economics to military pressure?
Paul Musgrave, an associate professor at Georgetown University in Qatar, told Al Jazeera that Tehran treats economic, diplomatic and military pressures as interconnected rather than separate phases of conflict. That framing suggests Iran may view compliance demands as sovereignty issues, not purely financial ones.
Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir is due in Tehran on Monday for talks on regional security, even as Washington prepares its announcement. For more on how technology and economic leverage shape global conflicts, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders coverage.