Iran has issued a stark warning that it will prevent any country in the region from selling oil if Tehran itself is denied access to global markets.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran’s parliament, made the statement on Tuesday, signaling a potential escalation in the ongoing dispute over maritime security and energy exports.
Ghalibaf, who also serves as Iran’s chief negotiator, previously confirmed that the country exported zero barrels of oil during the recent US naval blockade of its ports.
The new threat extends beyond Iranian assets, implying that Tehran could leverage its strategic position to disrupt broader regional trade flows if it perceives an unfair blockade or exclusion from the market.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has previously demanded that oil tankers use approved routes or face forceful responses.
This rhetoric adds to the existing risk premium in energy markets, where traders are already pricing in the possibility of supply disruptions from the world’s key oil chokepoint.