Iran's Rezaei says if Iran's interests are harmed anywhere in the world, it could raise tariffs or seize assets in the Strait of Hormuz of hostile states

Iran's Rezaei says if Iran's interests are harmed anywhere in the world, it could raise tariffs or seize assets in the Strait of Hormuz of hostile states.

Threats against the Strait of Hormuz are a recurring feature of Iranian official rhetoric and have historically surfaced whenever Tehran faces sanctions pressure or regional escalation; they have rarely translated into sustained interference with shipping, since closure or seizure would hit Iran's own export lifeline as hard as its adversaries. The transmission channel in past episodes of this kind has been through the risk premium in crude and through freight, insurance, and war-risk rates on Gulf transits rather than through any physical disruption, with tanker charter costs and options skew moving well before spot. The distinction that matters is between rhetorical signalling, which has tended to fade within sessions, and operational steps such as vessel seizures or harassment by naval or Revolutionary Guard units, which have on previous occasions produced the only durable repricing. Rezaei is a senior establishment figure rather than the operational chain of command, which on past form places this closer to signalling than intent. What has historically mattered next is any corroboration from the Supreme Leader's office or IRGC Navy, ship-tracking evidence of altered behaviour in the strait, and whether the remarks accompany actual escalation elsewhere.