Iran Threatens Energy Infrastructure If Security Not Guaranteed

A high-stakes standoff between Iran and the US has taken another turn as Tehran warns that no energy infrastructure will be safe if its security is not guaranteed. This comes after a recent escalation in rhetoric from both sides, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining a key point of contention.

Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, stated on September 29 that 'in a region where we cannot sell oil, no one else will sell oil either; or if our security is not guaranteed, no infrastructure will remain safe.'

The threat was made as Iran awaits an official response from US officials regarding its plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The proposal, submitted last week, would see the strait reopened and nuclear talks restarted in seven days, contingent on Washington lifting its naval blockade of ships heading to Iran, removing sanctions on oil sales, and re-imposing a regional cease-fire.

However, US President Donald Trump has dismissed the plan, saying he expects more talks between US and Iranian negotiators this week. The powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) published a letter to American voters last week, blaming the US for starting the war on February 28 and claiming that more than 3,600 Iranians, mostly civilians, including 400 children, were killed during the conflict.