Iran warns Gulf energy assets exposed as US strikes escalate

Iran has issued a fresh warning that American energy interests across the Gulf are vulnerable to attack, following a weekend of mutual strikes on shipping that pushed oil prices to near six-week highs on Monday.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who also serves as Tehran's top negotiator, delivered the blunt message: "Strike our assets and you get struck." In a social media post, he elaborated that the region's oil and gas production chain is "sprawling, accessible, and exposed," adding that American companies operating in these waters share that vulnerability.

The warning came in response to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's description of Iran's oil tanker fleet as "defenceless." It underscores the fragility of a region that remains on edge more than six months after the conflict began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28.

Restrictions on Hormuz

Iran has tightened restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy supplies. Senior security official Mohsen Rezaei announced plans for a new restricted zone in the Gulf and a separate shipping corridor through the strait. The zone would begin where a U.S. naval blockade of Iran starts, and any vessel entering it would be placed on an Iranian sanctions list.

"We will only commit to the Strait of Hormuz being open when they (the Americans) stop the sabotage, threats and attacks on Iran," Rezaei said.

The impact is visible in shipping data: an average of just 10 commodity vessels per day transited the strait over the past 10 days, the lowest level since May.

Escalation on multiple fronts

Regional tensions were further heightened by Israeli strikes on a town in southern Lebanon that killed at least 12 people on Monday, according to Lebanon's health ministry. The attacks, among the deadliest in recent weeks, have raised fears of a renewed Israeli campaign despite a June ceasefire with the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.

Tehran insists that any lasting agreement with Washington must include an end to Israeli attacks in Lebanon. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump's stated goals for "Operation Epic Fury" — ending Iran's nuclear programme, halting its regional attacks, and creating conditions for leadership change in Tehran — remain unfulfilled.

Economic pressure mounts

The conflict has taken a toll beyond the battlefield. Qalibaf acknowledged that Iran faces major domestic challenges including inflation, unemployment, currency volatility and market instability, compounded by U.S. sanctions aimed at choking off oil exports.

Gulf Arab states have also been affected. The United Arab Emirates has come under Iranian missile fire and suffered attacks on its oil tankers. Presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said the country was building alternative routes for its energy exports to ensure they are not "held hostage" by the war.

The disruption has reached the United States as well, where higher fuel prices have added to economic pressures ahead of November's midterm elections.