Tehran: Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has warned that if the United States intensifies its naval blockade of Iranian ports, Tehran will respond militarily, with consequences for global oil exports from the Persian Gulf.
Addressing the nation in a video message, Qalibaf declared that Washington has shifted its strategy following setbacks on military and diplomatic fronts. “The enemy has shown us that, after suffering setbacks on the military and diplomatic fronts, it has added an extensive economic and cognitive warfare campaign to its operations,” he said.
Qalibaf described the current situation as a “hybrid war,” combining naval pressure, economic restrictions, and psychological operations. He said the naval blockade itself constitutes a form of military warfare, with economic pressure serving as Washington’s primary tool, backed by sophisticated information campaigns.
He outlined Washington’s broader objectives as destabilising Iran from within. “The enemy’s goal in this hybrid war is to incite domestic unrest and chaos, and in some instances, carry out targeted assassinations. They may even attempt short, limited military strikes to weaken our resolve or compel us to capitulate at the negotiating table,” Qalibaf said.
On the question of the blockade, he was direct. “If they intensify the blockade, we will definitely respond militarily, and everyone will suffer. If the enemy is determined to prevent us from exporting oil from the Persian Gulf, no one will be able to export oil,” he warned.
Qalibaf’s statement comes amid sharp escalation from Washington. President Donald Trump recently threatened what he called an all-out “crushing economic D-Day” campaign against Tehran, warning of potential strikes against Iranian strategic assets and infrastructure. Washington also warned international banks, companies, and governments that maintaining trade ties or facilitating Iranian oil exports would trigger severe secondary sanctions.
The latest tensions follow a sequence of military confrontations. The US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, approximately eight months after earlier attacks on Iranian territory in June 2025. Iran’s military response forced Trump to call for a ceasefire, which came into effect on April 8. A Pakistani-mediated agreement followed on June 17, but the US has since violated its commitments through fresh strikes and a continuation of the naval blockade.
