Iran has escalated its rhetoric against Gulf Cooperation Council nations, warning that it would target energy infrastructure in the region if the United States launches military strikes against the Islamic Republic.
Officials in Riyadh reported that Tehran conveyed messages last week threatening to "black out" the entire region, rattling off a list of potential targets in neighboring states.
The threat marks a significant hardening of Iran's posture, moving beyond general warnings to specific threats against civilian and industrial power grids.
This development adds a new layer of risk to the Strait of Hormuz, where any conflict involving US forces could quickly spill over into the energy infrastructure of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE.
Markets are likely to price in a higher risk premium for Middle Eastern energy supplies as the threat of physical disruption to power and fuel networks becomes more explicit.
The warning underscores the vulnerability of the region's interconnected energy systems to geopolitical escalation.