Iran faces possible further escalation after US warnings that it will impose “the toughest sanctions in history” in response to the conflict that has been underway for nearly six months. Multiple outlets describe the situation as creating new pressure on Tehran, including through restrictions that target revenue and access to markets, which may influence Iran’s next moves in the Gulf.
One focus is whether Iran can disrupt regional oil flows further. Mohsen Rezaei, a former Revolutionary Guards commander and secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, is cited as warning that Iran could stop oil exports entirely—both through the Strait of Hormuz and via other Persian Gulf routes—if the “economic war” continues. The reports also note that Iranian attacks and threats to shipping have already reduced traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy chokepoint that previously carried about a fifth of world seaborne energy. While some tankers have continued to move at low volumes, one report says Iran blacklists dozens of tankers it claims did not follow its rules.
