Iran warns of consequences for nations aiding US pressure campaign

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, has issued a stark warning to other nations, stating that any cooperation with the United States in its campaign against Tehran will have consequences. The remarks come as Washington prepares to unveil a fresh round of sanctions, which it has described as an "economic D-Day" for Iran.

Speaking at a regular briefing in Tehran, Baghaei framed the US actions as an act of aggression, pointing to the ongoing naval blockade as a clear violation of international law. He asserted that other countries are not permitted under international rules to assist or go along with Washington's measures, which he said are in violation of human rights.

"Any complicity with the United States in carrying out its aggressive actions against Iran will certainly have consequences," Baghaei warned. He added that Iran's hands are not tied in the face of such actions, and that any escalation would bring its own set of consequences.

The warning coincides with a sharp decline in the value of Iran's currency, the rial, which hit a record low of 2.02 million to the US dollar on informal markets on Monday. The official central bank rate stands at around 1.5 million rials to the dollar, but the informal rate is what most Iranians use for their daily transactions.

The currency has been under severe strain since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late February, compounding existing economic woes like double-digit inflation and negative growth. Nearly six months of conflict have taken a heavy toll on the economy.

Despite the pressure, US President Donald Trump has not succeeded in extracting concessions from Tehran. Iran continues to exert significant control over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway that previously carried a fifth of the world's traded oil. Iranian attacks and threats have severely disrupted traffic through the strait during the war.

In a related development, Iran and Oman are reportedly in the final stages of an agreement to jointly manage the waterway. The plan, according to regional officials, would involve ships entering the Persian Gulf via an Iranian-controlled route and exiting via an Omani-controlled route. Trump has sharply criticized Oman, an American ally, and has threatened to bomb the country if it "gets in the way."

Baghaei dismissed the effectiveness of the new US pressure tactics, saying that trying methods that have already proven to be failures will not yield a different outcome. He argued that the sanctions only demonstrate the depth of US hostility toward the Iranian people, as it is ordinary citizens who bear the brunt of these measures.

"We certainly did not start this war, but we will not allow it to end on terms dictated by the aggressor," Baghaei stated, reaffirming Iran's resolve in the face of mounting external pressure.