Iran has warned the United States of “economic warfare” and said it has used an advanced missile against U.S. warships, raising fresh concerns about a wider escalation in the six-month-old conflict.
The latest tensions follow a series of pauses and renewed clashes between the two sides. The United States last reported strikes on Iranian targets on Saturday, saying its forces had hit three Iranian oil tankers. Iranian state media subsequently reported that Tehran had fired the Qassem Basir missile during attacks involving U.S. vessels.
The conflict also showed signs of spreading across the region on Tuesday, after Iran-backed Houthi militants attacked several cities in Saudi Arabia, injuring 73 people, according to a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.
At the centre of the latest tensions is the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Iran has continued disrupting shipping despite U.S. efforts to reopen the waterway, with commercial vessel traffic slowing again this week.
Iranian officials have said Tehran plans to establish a new restricted maritime zone in the Gulf and publish maps for a proposed shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the proposed zone would begin at the point where the U.S. blockade of Iran starts and extend into parts of the Gulf. Vessels entering the area would be placed on an Iranian sanctions list, he said.
On Tuesday, Rezaei renewed Iran’s economic and military warnings on social media.
“In recent days, Washington has received a clear warning from Iran’s new missiles. Economic warfare will be met by a maritime exclusion zone across the Persian Gulf to the blockade perimeter. The operational posture toward U.S. warships and bases has been fundamentally recalibrated,” Rezaei said.
His remarks appeared to refer to the Qassem Basir, which Iranian media described as having been used against U.S. warships near the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. military said its vessels had evaded missile attacks, disputing any suggestion that the ships had been successfully struck.
Iran says the Qassem Basir is an upgraded missile designed with greater manoeuvrability and improved resistance to missile-defence and electronic-warfare systems. Iranian media have previously claimed the missile was first used in combat against Israel in June 2025.
The prolonged conflict has already contributed to higher energy prices and created political pressure in Washington. President Donald Trump has argued that the war will ultimately bring down fuel prices, while maintaining that his administration’s campaign is aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
“Oil prices will drop precipitously, like everything else is dropping (but more!), when we WIN the war with Iran. Three Dollars a gallon, but ultimately, below Two Dollars a gallon. It will all happen quickly, and Iran will never have a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump said on social media.
Trump has yet to achieve the objectives he announced when he launched “Operation Epic Fury” in February, including ending Iran’s nuclear programme, limiting its ability to attack neighbouring countries and creating conditions for a change in leadership in Tehran.
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Iran’s clerical leadership remains in power and has signalled that it intends to emerge from the conflict with its position strengthened. Tehran continues to seek sanctions relief and hopes to retain influence over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, including potentially collecting fees from vessels using the waterway.
Reuters
