Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has warned that Tehran will respond militarily if the United States intensifies restrictions on Iranian ports and oil exports. He said Iran remains in “complete control” of the Strait of Hormuz and will not allow the US to use a southern route through the waterway.
Qalibaf described a naval blockade as one of the most severe forms of military warfare. He said that if Washington seeks to prevent Iran from exporting oil from the Gulf, other countries would also be prevented from doing so and the US would “pay the price.”
He acknowledged that a limited number of ships may have passed through the strait but rejected US claims that the waterway has been reopened. According to Qalibaf, around 120 ships passed through the strait each day before the war, while current traffic remains far below that level. He said Hormuz remains a “very powerful leverage” for Tehran.
His comments follow a series of military exchanges. On August 30, Tehran and Washington exchanged fire after US strikes on Larak in the Strait of Hormuz, which US Central Command said targeted Iranian minelaying operations. Iran responded with strikes on US-linked bases in Jordan and the UAE. On September 1, Centcom said it had also struck Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets in Iran following what it described as attempted attacks on commercial shipping and US personnel.
Qalibaf also defended the Tehran-Washington Islamabad memorandum of understanding signed in June. He said Iran wants the agreement implemented and accused Washington of failing to meet its commitments. According to Qalibaf, the temporary lifting of the naval blockade allowed Iran to export 80 million barrels of oil and make progress in importing essential goods.
He warned that Iran would use “the language of power” if the US does not honour the agreement. Qalibaf also linked the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to US compliance with the MoU and said the waterway should be managed by Iran and Oman under international law and Article 5 of the agreement.
Qalibaf accused Washington of combining military pressure with “economic and cognitive warfare” aimed at creating unrest inside Iran. He said the US could pursue further military strikes or assassinations in an attempt to force Tehran into concessions, but argued that such pressure would not succeed.
The Iranian speaker also called for national unity, saying political divisions were giving the US an opportunity to exploit internal differences. His remarks echoed recent calls from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei against framing the country’s choices as a simple decision between war and negotiations or compromise and confrontation.
Qalibaf’s warnings indicate that any further US restrictions on Iranian maritime access or oil exports could trigger a military response from Tehran. At the same time, Iran continues to present implementation of the June MoU as the condition for easing restrictions and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
