TEHRAN: Washington and Tehran are trading fresh threats as new U.S. sanctions loom and oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains largely stalled, adding pressure to a conflict that is nearing its six-month mark.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is scheduled to announce details Monday of what the Trump administration has described as the “toughest sanctions in history” against Iran. Washington has also urged other countries, particularly China, to cooperate with the measures.
China is a key focus of the U.S. campaign because it buys more than 80% of Iran’s shipped oil, according to Kpler data cited by Reuters. Beijing has rejected the pressure campaign and called for diplomacy instead.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei condemned the planned sanctions Saturday, calling them an attempt to impose “extraterritorial sovereignty” over independent countries. In a post on X, he said secondary sanctions had no basis in international law.
President Donald Trump has warned that countries providing Iran with “any type of lifeline” could face economic consequences. He said Friday that Iran would like to reach a deal but was not prepared to accept what he considered the right terms.
Read More: U.S. moves to tighten economic pressure on Iran
Despite the sharp rhetoric, the two countries were not exchanging fire at the time and were not engaged in active peace talks, leaving the conflict in an uneasy stalemate.
Hormuz Shipping Faces Severe Disruption
The Strait of Hormuz has become one of the conflict’s most important pressure points as commercial shipping through the strategic waterway has dropped sharply.
Only a handful of commodity vessels have recently crossed the strait, with major crude oil and liquefied natural gas tankers largely absent from the route. Reuters reported that oil shipments through the waterway had virtually halted as Iran continued to use control over shipping as leverage.
The disruption is significant because the strait normally carries about one-fifth of the world’s traded oil. The sharp decline in traffic has raised concerns about tighter global supplies, higher energy prices and further pressure on countries that depend heavily on Gulf oil.
The United States has maintained a naval blockade around Iran and says it can sustain its presence in the region. Iran, meanwhile, has continued to threaten unauthorized vessels attempting to pass through the waterway.
The disruption has also affected shipping costs and left vessels waiting in and around the Gulf as companies assess the risks of attempting to transit the strait.
Iran under growing economic pressure
The sanctions threat comes as Iran faces mounting economic difficulties after months of war and years of international restrictions.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf acknowledged the pressure on the country’s economy, saying military strength alone would not be enough if people lacked food and the economy could not maintain financial activity, production and growth.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for a diplomatic solution, saying it would be better to end the war while Iran remains in what he described as a position of strength.
Iran’s military leadership, however, has taken a harder line. Armed Forces Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi warned that Iran would respond to new threats with “crushing, punishing and devastating” force.
The conflict has killed thousands of people, drawn Gulf countries into the crisis and disrupted energy markets. The United States has also reported military casualties.
Trump has yet to achieve several objectives he announced at the beginning of the conflict, including dismantling Iran’s nuclear program and creating conditions for a change in the country’s leadership. The status of Iran’s nuclear facilities remains uncertain because U.N. inspectors have been unable to access them since 2025.
China faces pressure over Iranian oil
China is likely to face particular pressure from Washington because it remains Iran’s most important oil customer.
Bessent has urged Beijing to cooperate with the U.S. sanctions campaign, arguing that countries benefiting from Iranian energy should help enforce economic pressure on Tehran. China, however, has maintained that sanctions and pressure will not resolve the conflict.
The pressure comes as Iranian oil exports to China have already been affected by the U.S. blockade. Reuters reported that Iranian oil offers to Chinese buyers have fallen sharply, while some shipments have become more expensive as available supplies tighten.
The United States is also seeking broader international support to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. NATO members have discussed possible ways individual countries could contribute to freedom of navigation, although NATO has stressed that the effort is not an official alliance mission.
With Washington preparing tougher economic measures and Tehran warning of retaliation, the next stage of the conflict could be shaped as much by sanctions, oil supplies and control of shipping routes as by military action.
The continuing uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz is likely to keep global energy markets and international governments on alert.
