TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi issued a stark warning on Saturday, stating that any further U.S. aggression toward Iran’s energy infrastructure will trigger direct retaliatory strikes against regional oil facilities linked to American companies.
The warning follows a U.S. military strike on Friday that targeted military installations on Kharg Island, Iran’s primary strategic oil terminal. While the island’s energy infrastructure remains intact for now, President Donald Trump has threatened to target the facilities if Iran continues to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Araghchi characterized the use of densely populated neighboring territories to launch strikes as “highly dangerous.” He emphasized that while Iran intends to retaliate against U.S. assets, it seeks to avoid civilian-heavy areas.
“It is crystal clear they are using our neighbors’ territory to attack us, and this is absolutely unacceptable,” Araghchi stated, adding that Iran views it as a legitimate right to target the origins of these launches.
The escalation has sent global oil prices to four-year highs as the Strait of Hormuz remains a primary flashpoint. While Araghchi noted the waterway is not “generally closed,” he confirmed it remains blocked for vessels belonging to the U.S. and its allies.
In a separate statement, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters echoed the Foreign Minister’s sentiment, warning that any strike on Iranian economic hubs would reduce U.S.-linked interests in the region to “a pile of ashes.”
Agencies