Iran threatens Gulf oil blockade as war escalates

By Goli Innocent

Iran has threatened to halt oil exports from the Gulf region as its conflict with the United States and Israel intensifies, raising fears of a major disruption to global energy supplies.

The warning comes despite claims by US President Donald Trump that the war could soon come to an end.

Tehran’s stance follows attacks on vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic shipping route through which nearly 20 per cent of the world’s crude oil passes to markets in Asia and Europe.

The disruption has already unsettled global energy markets and heightened concerns over supply shortages.

Oil prices surged past $100 per barrel earlier in the week after reports that Iranian strikes had forced shipping traffic to slow in the Gulf.

Prices later eased after Trump said the war would be “ended soon,” helping calm markets that had reacted sharply to the escalating tensions.

But Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) dismissed the claim, insisting that neither Tehran nor Washington would determine when the war ends.

“The Iranian armed forces… will not allow the export of a single litre of oil from the region to the hostile side and its partners until further notice,” the IRGC said.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also signalled the country was ready for a prolonged confrontation.

“We are well prepared to continue attacking them with our missiles as long as needed and as long as it takes,” he said, adding that further diplomatic talks with Washington were unlikely.

Meanwhile, countries across the region are moving to contain the fallout from the crisis. Egypt has raised fuel prices by up to 30 per cent, Pakistan has offered naval escorts for commercial vessels, and France has deployed warships to help secure maritime traffic in the Gulf.

Energy experts warn that a prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could have serious consequences for the global economy.

Saudi Aramco chief executive Amin Nasser cautioned that “there would be catastrophic consequences for the world’s oil markets the longer the disruption goes on,” stressing the need for shipping to resume.