Iran Warns US Naval Blockade Could Shut Hormuz Strait and Other Waterways
Tehran’s security chief says continued American “provocations” will further restrict the key oil transit route and close additional chokepoints, as Washington weighs new strikes.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, warned on Saturday that a continued US naval blockade and escalation would not only further restrict shipping through the Strait of Hormuz but also lead to the closure of other strategic maritime chokepoints, according to a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB. He said the consequences of Washington’s actions would be borne by “the global economy, the energy market, and American voters,” a reference to looming US congressional elections in November where higher prices and the unpopular war are top issues.
The warning came as US embassies across the Middle East urged Americans to prepare for flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures and other travel disruptions, the National Post reported. President Donald Trump said during a Cabinet meeting that the US would be “hitting them very hard,” and the Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed officials, reported that he had ordered a new military attack on Iran as soon as this weekend. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Iran “will continue to pay until they come to the table in what President Trump deems a meaningful way.”
The standoff has already driven Brent crude above $90 a barrel, up from below $72 at the start of last month, and disrupted shipping. The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported that an LNG vessel was hit in the Strait of Hormuz and a nearby tanker had a near miss. Saudi Arabia and Iraq have been drawn deeper into the conflict, with Riyadh joining US strikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq, while Egypt said two LNG carriers were struck by drones at Damietta port. Kuwait announced its air defences had destroyed Iranian drones. CBS reported that the US is considering striking Iranian energy infrastructure, a move advocacy groups warn could constitute a war crime.
The conflict began on 28 February, and a brief truce collapsed last month. A lull in strikes ended on Tuesday when Tehran fired multiple ballistic missiles at a US military base in Jordan, which Trump described as a surprise attack. The US reimposed a maritime blockade on 14 July, demanding Iran halt attacks on commercial shipping and guarantee freedom of navigation. Tehran insists vessel transits must be governed by a mechanism it administers. Al-Manar English reported that Iran and the US had signed a memorandum of understanding last month for a 60-day fee-free transit period, but that Washington has been escorting ships along an unagreed passageway, prompting Iranian confrontations. With US midterm elections approaching, polls show wide disapproval of Trump’s handling of the war and the economy.
| Atlantic / Anglosphere press | −0.70 | critical |
|---|---|---|
| Iranian & allied press | +0.60 | aligned |
| Arab Levant-Maghreb press | +0.50 | aligned |
The West prioritizes security: Iran's threat must be taken seriously. It sides with American defense and the protection of citizens.
The use of embassy warnings creates urgency and legitimacy, while causality is inverted by omitting the naval blockade.
It omits the US naval blockade that prompted Iran's reaction, making the threat appear unprovoked.
Iran presents itself as a victim of American aggression: the closure is an inevitable consequence of US provocations. It takes the position of one who reacts legitimately.
The rhetoric of 'provocation' reverses responsibility, attributing the cause of its action to the opponent. The naval blockade is presented as a given, while the threat is an automatic response.
It does not acknowledge that its closure threat is seen by the West as aggression and omits the economic sanctions that preceded the blockade.
The Arab world sides with Iran: the closure of the Strait is a symmetric response to American economic warfare. It takes the position of condemning US aggression.
The use of the term 'warmongering' demonizes the adversary and legitimizes the Iranian reaction as proportionate. Causality is presented linearly: American action, Iranian reaction.
It omits pre-existing Iranian sanctions and the fact that the closure is seen as a threat to international navigation.
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