Iran warns neighbours over US pressure as Hormuz tensions spread

Iran's new security chief warned neighbouring states against joining any fresh US economic pressure on Tehran. The threat came as Egypt sought to revive talks, shipping through Hormuz stayed sensitive, and regional military tensions sharpened.

In Short

• Mohsen Rezaei warned neighbours against aiding new US economic pressure on Iran
• Egypt said it is trying to restart Tehran-Washington negotiations after the war
• Iraq and Iran said some Iraqi oil shipments crossed Hormuz with help

Iran's new top security adviser has threatened neighbouring countries against joining fresh US efforts to hurt Tehran's economy, as new diplomatic and military moves unfolded across the wider Middle East on Saturday. At the same time, Egypt said it was trying to revive negotiations between Iran and the US, while Iraq and Iran said Tehran had helped some ships carrying Iraqi oil pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Elsewhere, France and Saudi Arabia are expected to discuss plans for alternative routes that bypass the strait, while Israel carried out strikes in Syria and Gaza. There were also differing messages over the status of the Golan Heights after remarks by the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, and a response from Israel's defence minister.

Mohsen Rezaei, the new head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, accused the US of increasing global nuclear insecurity after months of war and warned of retaliation if President Donald Trump escalates pressure. "If Trump wants to do something, we will retaliate in a seismic manner," he said in an interview with state broadcaster IRIB aired on Saturday. Rezaei, whose appointment this month was widely seen as part of a harder political and military stance in Tehran, said Iran would target oil shipping routes out of the Persian Gulf that serve as alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz if neighbouring countries joined what he called an economic war against Iran. Those neighbours would be considered enemies and "we will target their interests", he said. He also said talks with Oman on management of the strait were continuing and that fees would be imposed. Iran asserted control over the waterway shortly after the US and Israel attacked on February 28. Rezaei also said Iran would change its diplomacy, bring new capabilities to what he called the next war, warned the US against sending more troops to the region, and said countries now see that joining international nuclear monitoring does not protect them from attack.

Egypt's foreign ministry said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty discussed efforts to bring Tehran and Washington back to the negotiating table to settle the war. The two sides also discussed the Iranian-Omani talks, the ministry said. It added that Araghchi briefed Abdelatty on "Iran's view of ongoing developments, the course of negotiations and their challenges". Araghchi confirmed the call. Separately, he said he had also spoken to Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.

Iraq and Iran said some Iraqi oil shipments had been helped through the Strait of Hormuz, though neither side gave many details. Iraqi President Nizar Amidi, in comments published by the state-run news agency, said, "There is facilitation for some ships carrying Iraqi oil in the Strait of Hormuz," and added that Iraq does not have a national carrier for transporting oil. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said a number of Iraqi oil tankers had been allowed to transit, though it was not clear how many or what Iran may have received in return.

In Syria, the state news agency SANA said an Israeli drone strike on a vehicle in the south-western village of Beit Jin wounded one person on Saturday. Syria's foreign ministry said several civilians were injured and called the attack a flagrant violation of the country's sovereignty. The Israeli military said it had targeted a "terrorist who advanced terror attacks in final stages of preparation", though it was not immediately clear if it was referring to the same strike. Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria since the ouster of former president Bashar Assad in late 2024, mainly to destroy army assets and keep them out of the hands of his successors.

There were also sharp differences over the Golan Heights. In an interview on Friday with Mario Nawfal, Barrack said Israel "still" occupies the Golan Heights in violation of UN resolutions. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday that Barrack's remarks were "full of inaccuracies and positions that contradict Trump's own position". Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 war and annexed it in 1981. The UN considers it occupied Syrian land, but Trump in March 2019 recognised Israeli sovereignty over the territory.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are expected to discuss plans to develop alternative routes to the Strait of Hormuz during the Saudi leader's two-day visit to Paris starting on Sunday, according to French presidency officials who were not authorised to speak publicly. The proposals include increasing trade through Omani ports outside the Persian Gulf, expanding or doubling pipelines in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere, and developing new rail links. France and Saudi Arabia have also formed a task force on energy and logistics links between the Middle East and Europe, which is due to meet at ministerial level on Monday. The officials said the work would focus on identifying the most strategic projects, securing financing and defining roles for French companies.

In Gaza, health officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said an Israeli strike on the backyard of a house in central Gaza killed one Palestinian and wounded another on Saturday. Israel's military said it had targeted Sharif al-Hasanat, a Hamas commander who "advanced terror attacks and took part in efforts to restore Hamas' underground infrastructure". The strike came days after a US negotiator reportedly asked Israel to scale down attacks while efforts continued to make progress on a ceasefire.

The latest developments showed tensions around Iran widening across diplomacy, shipping and military action, with Tehran issuing fresh warnings, Egypt trying to reopen talks, Iraq and Iran pointing to oil transit through Hormuz, France and Saudi Arabia looking at alternative transport routes, and Israel carrying out strikes in both Syria and Gaza.

With PTI Inputs

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