Iran's Security Chief Vows to 'Neutralize' US Economic War, Threatens Strait of Hormuz
Iran's top security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, has vowed to "neutralize the economic war" with the United States, while threatening to halt oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz if neighboring countries participate in the US economic crackdown, according to an interview with Iranian state media reported by CNN.
Rezaei, who heads Iran's Supreme National Security Council, delivered an uncompromising message to Iran's neighbors: "If they start such an action, we will not allow a single drop of oil to pass through the Persian Gulf." He also threatened that Iran would target alternative oil export routes used by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which have expanded ports in the Red Sea and Gulf of Oman.
The threats come as the US is expected to detail plans to ramp up sanctions on Tehran. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has pledged economic measures that have "never been seen" against Iran and will hold a news conference Monday. President Donald Trump has threatened an "economic D-Day" against Iran.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged the country is in a "full-scale economic, military, and security war" and admitted economic difficulties.
Strait of Hormuz: A Chokepoint Under Pressure
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical waterway, carrying about 20 million barrels of oil per day — roughly one-fifth of global production, according to the US Energy Information Administration. The strait was formed about 35 million years ago due to the collision of the Arabian and Eurasian plates, a geological process that also gave the region its oil deposits.
Some oil companies have developed new tactics to pass undetected through the strait, including turning off transponders and traveling at night. CNN reported that oil tankers have employed these "dark transits" to avoid detection. Iran has allowed a number of Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the strait, and its security chief said Iran shipped 70 million barrels of oil in the past one or two months. Oil traffic through the strait rose 27% in the past week, according to the report.
Alternative routes through the Red Sea and Gulf of Oman are also being used to avoid the strait. Analyst Hamidreza Azizi of the Clingendael Institute in the Netherlands described Rezaei's stance as presenting an ultimatum to Gulf states, suggesting that participation in US economic pressure could be treated by Tehran as part of a broader confrontation. Azizi posted on X about an emerging doctrine of preemption and disproportionate retaliation.
Hijab Enforcement Resurfaces Amid Turmoil
Amid the economic and military confrontation, a cultural faultline in Iran has re-emerged: how and whether to enforce the mandatory hijab. CNN reported that at least seven cafes and restaurants in Tehran were shut down on July 19 for failing to enforce the dress code, according to the human rights group HRANA.
In June, Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi and eight band members were sentenced to 74 lashes and a two-year travel ban for appearing with uncovered hair and bare shoulders during a livestreamed performance. Iranian women have been defying hijab rules, including in videos showing women riding scooters without headscarves.
One Tehran woman told CNN that girls wear crop tops and shorts, and headscarves are practically no longer a thing anymore. President Pezeshkian has questioned whether laws can change behavior regarding the hijab.
The re-emergence of this issue comes as Iran's leadership has been revamped, with Rezaei named this month as part of a shift to a more aggressive approach. Rezaei, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader, has said "the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until Washington meets its commitments." He also claimed that the US attack on Iran encouraged countries to seek nuclear weapons.
Background of US-Iran Tensions
The US has been imposing sanctions on Iran since 1979, after the US embassy in Tehran was seized following the Iranian Revolution. A Congressional Research Service report stated that US sanctions on Iran are aimed to "deter, constrain, and encourage change in the adversarial behavior of the Iranian regime."
Rezaei vowed to "neutralize the economic war" and threatened to halt oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz if neighboring countries join the US economic crackdown. The escalation of threats and counter-threats underscores the high stakes in the Persian Gulf, where global oil supply and regional security are intertwined.