Iran has warned governments against participating in United States led economic sanctions, saying countries that join the pressure campaign would be treated as hostile.
Mohsen Rezai, head of Iran’s supreme national security council, issued the warning on state television as Washington pressed allies and partners to increase economic pressure on Tehran.
Rezai described the sanctions campaign as an economic war and urged other governments to distance themselves from it.
He said countries that imposed or supported economic restrictions against Iran could face retaliatory measures against their interests.
The Iranian official also threatened possible action against United States economic assets and companies in the region if sanctions pressure intensified.
His statements represent an escalation in Tehran’s rhetoric and should be understood as official Iranian threats rather than confirmed future actions.
The warning came as the United States sought broader international support for measures intended to isolate the Iranian economy.
China criticized the sanctions push and argued that economic pressure would not resolve the wider conflict in the Middle East.
The United Arab Emirates, one of Iran’s significant trading partners, announced the suspension of trade and financial transactions with Tehran until further notice.
The latest exchanges show how the conflict is increasingly extending from military confrontation into trade, finance and diplomatic relations.
Any further expansion of sanctions or retaliatory economic measures could affect energy markets, shipping, regional commerce and relations between Iran and countries maintaining economic ties with Tehran.
