WANA (May 17) – A senior Iranian lawmaker has warned that any attack on Iran’s energy infrastructure will result in a total disruption of global oil supplies from the Middle East, vowing that Tehran will retaliate against both hostile and neutral nations in the region.

 

Hamidreza Hajibabaei, the Deputy Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, made the remarks during a televised interview on Sunday, outlining Iran’s strategic posture regarding potential strikes on its oil sectors.

 

“If Iran’s oil is to be targeted, we will strike the region’s oil,” Hajibabaei stated. “If damage is inflicted on Iranian oil, Iran will act in a way that prevents the United States and the world from receiving oil from this region for a significant period of time.”

 

Warning to Regional Neighbors

Addressing the stance of neighboring Persian Gulf states, Hajibabaei suggested that countries like Saudi Arabia are attempting to insulate themselves from potential fallout while keeping Tehran at arm’s length.

 

“I think the Saudis are being clever. Saudi Arabia has accepted our pilgrims and is working with us, but regional countries like Saudi Arabia know that if even a firecracker goes off in the region, Iran will be forced into a regional war,” the Deputy Speaker said.

 

He argued that these nations are hoping Iran will spare their energy sectors in the event of a conflict—a concession he indicated Tehran is unwilling to make.

 

“If Iran’s oil is targeted, we must strike regional oil—whether it belongs to a country we are friends with, a country that merely claims friendship, or a country that proclaims enmity, such as [Mohammed] bin Zayed, the President of the United Arab Emirates,” Hajibabaei added.

 

US Intentions and the Strategic Value of Hormuz

The Deputy Speaker dismissed the notion that Washington would show restraint, specifically naming U.S. President Donald Trump. He asserted that “it is impossible for the U.S., especially Trump, to have the capability to do something and not do it. Anyone who thinks otherwise is naive.”

 

To counter this threat, Hajibabaei emphasized that Iran would leverage its geopolitical position to impose its own economic costs, describing the Strait of Hormuz as Iran’s ultimate strategic leverage.

 

Strategic Priority: “The Strait of Hormuz is more important to us than an atomic bomb because this strait is a strategic tool at our disposal,” he stated.

 

A Shift in Deterrence: Hajibabaei noted a shift from past dynamics, referencing a “third imposed war” and declaring that reciprocity will govern future sanctions. “From now on, if a country wants to sanction Iran, we will sanction that country in the Strait of Hormuz.”