Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Monday warned the United States of severe economic consequences if Washington targets Iranian energy infrastructure, saying attacks on Iran’s oil and gas assets would trigger retaliation against US interests in the region.Ghalibaf issued the warning in a post on X on Monday, as tensions between Tehran and Washington continued to escalate. He pointed to the vulnerability of oil and gas infrastructure across the region and warned that US energy interests could also be exposed to retaliation.“It’s simple: the oil and gas production chain here is sprawling, accessible, and exposed. American oil and gas companies across these waters and facilities share that exposure. Strike our assets and you get struck. We’ve already proven it. Ask the bases that are no longer viable.”Alongside his post, Ghalibaf shared an image featuring oil pipelines in the background and carrying the message: “The lost decade of the US Economy is coming, because some clowns at D.O. [I]. W. decided so.”His remarks came after US secretary of war Pete Hegseth claimed that Iran’s oil tanker fleet was vulnerable and warned Tehran against attacking American ships.“It’s simple: if Iran shoots at US ships, we will destroy (and sink) their oil tankers. All they have to do is not shoot at @USNavy. Iran’s oil tanker fleet is defenceless — Iran has no navy or air force. Our planes, ships & subs can strike them all in @CENTCOM & @USPACOM.”Hegseth’s remarks followed US strikes on Iranian oil tankers, which Washington said were carried out in response to Iranian ballistic missile attacks on US warships.The confrontation has also raised concerns over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei said Tehran would keep the waterway open if the US stopped threatening or attacking Iran.“Iran will commit to keeping the Strait of Hormuz open when the US neither threatens nor attacks Iran,” Rezaei told Iranian state broadcaster IRIB.Iran has also threatened to establish an “exclusion zone” outside the strait, adding another layer of uncertainty for energy markets and international shipping as tensions continue to mount.
