Iran’s military has issued a stark warning that it will not allow any oil shipments benefiting the United States or Israel to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical waterways for global energy supplies.
Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesman for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the unified command structure of Iran’s armed forces, delivered the threat in a video message aired on state television on Wednesday, March 11.
“We will never allow even a litre of oil to be transported through the Strait of Hormuz for the benefit of the U.S., the Zionists and their partners,” Zolfaqari said.
In a direct message aimed at the United States, the military spokesman escalated the rhetoric further, warning of devastating consequences for American interests in the region.
“Your vital centres and bases will burn one by one in the fire you have ignited, and they will burn again and again,” he stated.
Zolfaqari also took aim at global oil prices, warning Washington that its efforts to keep energy costs down would fail.
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“You should know that you cannot keep the price of oil and energy artificially low. Expect a price of $200 per barrel, because the price of oil depends on the security of the region, and you are the source of this insecurity,” he said.
The spokesman stressed that Iran’s armed forces hold strategic control over the Strait of Hormuz and therefore do not need to formally shut it down.
Instead, he said any closure would be a direct consequence of the conditions created by the United States and Israel.
He went on to declare that any vessel carrying oil or cargo belonging to the United States, Israel or their allies would be considered a legitimate military target.
“Any vessel whose ship or oil cargo belongs to the United States, the Zionist regime, or their hostile partners will be a legitimate target for us,” he warned.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most strategically important chokepoints in global energy trade, with roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply passing through its narrow waters daily.
Recent disruption to shipping through the strait has shockwaves through global energy markets triggering a spike in oil prices worldwide.