Iran Threatens US Oil Assets Amid Gulf Tensions

On September 7, 2026, Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf issued a warning to the United States, stating that any further strikes on Iranian oil assets would be met with retaliation. This warning followed US Central Command's strikes on three Iranian oil tankers on September 5, including one near Kharg Island, Iran's primary oil export hub.

The strikes were in response to attacks by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on US warships in the Gulf. Mohsen Rezaei, a senior Iranian security official, announced that Iran would soon declare a new restricted zone in the Gulf, starting at the edge of a US naval blockade and extending into Gulf waters, with any vessel entering it facing sanctions.

The ongoing conflict has led to economic pressures on Iran, with Qalibaf citing currency instability and rising inflation. Additionally, UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash indicated that the UAE is developing alternative energy export routes to avoid being affected by the conflict.