Strait of Hormuz Will Remain Closed Until the U.S. Changes Its Conduct
WANA (Aug 22) – Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until Washington changes its conduct and fulfills its commitments. He also warned that if economic pressure on Iran intensifies, Tehran could expand its response from military targets to U.S. economic interests and those of countries cooperating with Washington.
Rezaei said the appointment of experienced commanders within Iran’s military structure means that lessons from the past year will be incorporated into future operations. He stressed that the “next war will be different” and said changes would be made in the way the war is managed, as well as in Iran’s diplomatic approach and broader political and social affairs.
Describing the broader confrontation, Rezaei said that today a “5,000-year-old Iranian nation” is facing a “250-year-old American state.” He also said Iran’s adversaries had sought to exploit internal divisions, stressing that national unity was as important to Iran as its military capabilities.
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Warning of Nuclear Proliferation
Rezaei devoted a significant part of his remarks to the potential consequences of the conflict for the global nonproliferation system. He said the U.S. attack on Iran, despite Tehran’s membership in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and its cooperation with international institutions, could increase other countries’ interest in acquiring nuclear weapons.
According to Rezaei, what he called Trump’s “recklessness” had created “nuclear insecurity” rather than nuclear security, arguing that countries around the world had seen that membership in international mechanisms and acceptance of nuclear monitoring did not prevent a U.S. military attack.
Warning to Countries Cooperating With Washington
Rezaei also warned regional countries against participating in U.S. economic pressure on Iran. He said Tehran would initially issue warnings to such countries, but if they continued their cooperation, their interests could become targets.
He explicitly warned that if the economic war against Iran continued, Tehran would not limit its response to restricting oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, but could also prevent oil from leaving the Persian Gulf through alternative routes.
People walk past an anti-U.S. billboard on a street in Tehran, Iran, August 3, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
Rezaei’s Account of Netanyahu’s Proposal to Trump
Rezaei also presented what he described as an account of a proposal made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to U.S. President Donald Trump. According to the Iranian official, Netanyahu proposed placing Iran under a six-month economic blockade, arguing that the pressure would eventually force Tehran to surrender.
Rezaei said Trump was initially skeptical of the proposal and that Netanyahu then suggested testing the strategy for two or three months and continuing it if it proved effective.
Warning Over U.S. Forces and Bases
Rezaei warned that any increase in U.S. forces at regional bases would trigger an Iranian response. He said that if Washington deployed additional personnel to its bases, those bases would be targeted.
He also warned the United States against using the southern route around the Strait of Hormuz, saying any U.S. movement along that route could be targeted. Rezaei further warned that meetings between the United States and groups opposed to the Islamic Republic in the region would also face an Iranian military response.
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“For Now, We Have Only Restricted the Flow of Oil”
Addressing the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, Rezaei said Tehran had so far only restricted the flow of oil through the waterway. However, he warned that if the economic confrontation escalated, the restrictions could extend to all routes used to export oil from the Persian Gulf.
On talks between Iran and Oman, Rezaei said the two countries had agreed on a proposed central route through the Strait of Hormuz. However, he stressed that the arrangement currently exists only on paper and does not itself mean the strait will be reopened.
According to Rezaei, the Strait of Hormuz will only be reopened once the United States fulfills its commitments.
Potential Targeting of U.S. Economic Interests
In one of the strongest parts of his remarks, Rezaei said Iran had so far refrained from targeting U.S. economic interests and that its attacks had been limited to American military bases.
He warned that if the economic war continued, Iran would be prepared to target U.S. oil and other economic companies operating in the region—a move that, if carried out, could significantly broaden the confrontation between Tehran and Washington from the military sphere to energy infrastructure, trade and investment across the region.
Rezaei ultimately stressed that Iran is pursuing both military and diplomatic tracks, but said Tehran no longer considers political statements sufficient and is waiting for concrete action from Washington to change the current situation.
