From Tehran, a warning has been issued that carries the weight of a civilization feeling encircled: any nation that joins Washington's economic campaign against Iran will be counted among its enemies. Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezai, speaking on state television, framed the American pressure as an act of war conducted through commerce rather than cannon — and promised consequences in kind. The statement arrives at a moment when the world's smaller powers must choose between the gravity of American alliance and the risk of Iranian reprisal, a choice that reveals how economic instruments have
Iran threatens 'enemies' joining US economic isolation campaign
We have not yet attacked any American economic interests
Mark
Why does Iran feel the need to make these threats public? Why not keep them private?
Mimi
Because the threat is only useful if everyone hears it. Rezai is trying to deter countries from joining the sanctions by making the cost visible. It's a warning shot meant for Beijing, the Emirates, and anyone else Washington is courting.
Mark
But doesn't threatening countries make them more likely to comply with the US, not less?
Mimi
You'd think so. But Iran is in a corner. It can't match American economic power, so it's trying to create an alternative cost—the risk of Iranian retaliation. It's a gamble that fear of Iran might outweigh pressure from Washington.
Mark
He mentions restraint—that Iran has only hit military bases. Why emphasize that?
Mimi
It's a negotiating posture. He's saying: we've shown discipline, we've had targets available, but we haven't used them. The implication is that if you push us further, that restraint ends. It's a way of saying the escalation is in your hands.
Mark
What about the UAE suspending trade? That seems like a major blow.
Mimi
It is. The Emirates are geographically close to Iran, economically tied to it. If they're cutting ties, it suggests American pressure is working in the Gulf. But it also shows Iran's isolation is real—they're losing partners, not gaining them.
Mark
Is this rhetoric actually dangerous, or is it theater?
Mimi
Probably both. The rhetoric is real—these are genuine threats. But whether they're carried out depends on how far the escalation actually goes. Right now it's a warning. Whether it becomes action depends on what happens next.
Le Pouls
- Iran's supreme national security council has drawn a bright line: join the American sanctions campaign and be treated as an enemy state.
- Tehran claims it has shown restraint by striking only US military bases, but warns it holds American oil infrastructure and commercial assets in its crosshairs if economic pressure intensifies.
- The Trump administration, six months into an unpopular military conflict, is leaning hard on allies to economically isolate Iran — transforming trade relationships into instruments of coercion.
- China is publicly resisting the American pressure campaign, arguing sanctions will not resolve the regional conflict, while the UAE has moved in the opposite direction, suspending all trade with Iran indefinitely.
- The fracturing international response leaves smaller nations caught in a dangerous corridor between Washington's demands and Tehran's threats of an 'earthquake-like' confrontation.
From Tehran, a warning has been issued that carries the weight of a civilization feeling encircled: any nation that joins Washington's economic campaign against Iran will be counted among its enemies. Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezai, speaking on state television, framed the American pressure as an act of war conducted through commerce rather than cannon — and promised consequences in kind. The statement arrives at a moment when the world's smaller powers must choose between the gravity of American alliance and the risk of Iranian reprisal, a choice that reveals how economic instruments have become the new frontier of geopolitical conflict.
On Sunday, Iran's security establishment delivered a blunt warning to the international community: any country that participates in Washington's effort to economically isolate the Islamic Republic will be regarded as an enemy. Mohsen Rezai, head of Iran's supreme national security council, made the declaration on state television, characterizing the American pressure campaign as an outright "economic war."
The warning comes as the Trump administration, now six months into an unpopular military conflict, has shifted toward economic coercion as its primary tool of confrontation — lobbying allies to sever trade ties with Tehran. Rezai's message was unambiguous: participation would carry consequences, and Iran would move to harm the interests of any nation that aligned itself with the American effort.
Rezai also introduced a more pointed threat. He claimed Iran had exercised deliberate restraint, confining its strikes to American military installations while leaving US economic assets untouched. That restraint, he suggested, was conditional. Should Washington proceed with intensified sanctions, Iran would target American oil infrastructure and commercial interests across the region and beyond. He closed with apocalyptic language: if Trump escalated further, "our confrontation will be like an earthquake."
The international response has been fractured. China, one of Iran's most significant economic partners, has resisted American pressure and publicly criticized the sanctions campaign. The United Arab Emirates, however, moved this week to suspend all trade and financial transactions with Tehran indefinitely — a signal that Washington's effort is gaining real traction in the Gulf, even as it meets resistance elsewhere. For nations caught between these competing forces, Rezai's warning has made the cost of choosing sides unmistakably clear.
In Tehran, Iran's security establishment issued a stark warning on Sunday: any nation that joins Washington's campaign to economically isolate the Islamic republic will be treated as an enemy. Mohsen Rezai, who heads Iran's supreme national security council, delivered the message directly on state television, framing the American push as an "economic war" and drawing a clear line for the international community.
The threat comes as the Trump administration, six months into an unpopular military conflict, has intensified pressure on its allies to cut economic ties with Iran. The strategy represents a shift toward economic coercion as a primary tool of confrontation. Rezai's warning was unambiguous: participation in sanctions would carry consequences. He suggested that Iran would "harm" the interests of any country that refused to distance itself from the American effort.
But Rezai went further, introducing a new dimension to the standoff. He claimed that Iran had exercised restraint so far, limiting its military strikes to American bases while leaving American economic assets untouched. This framing—of a patient adversary with unused leverage—was paired with a direct threat. If the United States proceeded with economic restrictions, Iran would target American oil infrastructure and commercial interests both in the region and beyond. "If they want to impose economic sanctions on us, the US has oil and economic companies around Iran and elsewhere, and we will strike them," he said. He concluded with apocalyptic language, warning that if Trump escalated further, "our confrontation will be like an earthquake."
The warning reflects a deepening crisis in the Middle East, where economic and military pressure are becoming intertwined. Washington has been actively lobbying major trading partners to join the isolation effort. China, one of Iran's most important economic partners, has become a particular focus of American pressure. But Beijing has resisted, publicly criticizing the sanctions campaign and arguing that economic coercion will not resolve the underlying conflict in the region.
The fracturing international consensus became visible this week when the United Arab Emirates, itself a major trading partner of Iran, announced it was suspending all trade and financial transactions with Tehran indefinitely. The move signals that despite resistance from some quarters, the American campaign is gaining traction in the Gulf region. It also illustrates the difficult position facing smaller nations caught between American pressure and their own economic interests in Iran. For now, Rezai's warning stands as Iran's response: comply with American demands at your peril.
Citations marquantes
Any country participating in the imposition of economic restrictions against us is considered an enemy— Mohsen Rezai, head of Iran's supreme national security council
If they want to impose economic sanctions on us, the US has oil and economic companies around Iran and elsewhere, and we will strike them— Mohsen Rezai
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Politics & Governance