What did Mohsen Rezai say about countries joining US sanctions against Iran?

Rezai said any country taking part in economic restrictions against Iran would be considered an enemy. He also warned that countries refusing to distance themselves from the United States would see their interests harmed.

Why did Iran accuse other countries of joining the US economic war?

Iran said Washington was pushing allies to back its campaign to isolate the Iranian economy, and Rezai argued that other governments should not join what he called the economic war waged by the United States. He said Iran still had more cards to play in the confrontation.

How did China and the United Arab Emirates react to the US pressure campaign on Iran?

China criticized the initiative, saying American sanctions would not solve the conflict in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates said it was suspending all trade and financial transactions with Tehran until further notice.

Iran warns any country joining US sanctions to be considered 'enemy'

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Summary

Iran warned in Tehran on Saturday that any country joining the United States’ economic war against the Islamic republic would be considered an enemy. Mohsen Rezai said countries should not join the U.S.-led pressure campaign, and warned Iran would harm their interests if they did not distance themselves from Washington. He also said Iran had not yet attacked any American economic interests and threatened to strike U.S. oil and economic companies if sanctions were imposed. China criticized the initiative, while the United Arab Emirates said it was suspending all trade and financial transactions with Tehran until further notice.

Key Facts

Mohsen Rezai is the head of Iran's supreme national security council.
Rezai said Iran had so far only targeted military bases and had not yet attacked any American economic interests.
He warned that if the United States imposed economic sanctions on Iran, Iran would strike U.S. oil and economic companies.
The United Arab Emirates announced on Tuesday that it was suspending all trade and financial transactions with Tehran until further notice.

By AFP

Published Aug 23, 2026 7:24 am KST
Updated Aug 23, 2026 5:49 pm KST

A woman holds an Iranian flag during a pro-government campaign in downtown Tehran, Aug. 17. AP-Yonhap

TEHRAN — Iran on Saturday warned countries against participating in the United States' "economic war" against the Islamic republic, saying they would be considered enemies.

Washington has pushed its allies to jump aboard U.S. President Donald Trump's new campaign to isolate the Iranian economy, as the president's unpopular war drags toward the six-month mark.

"We declare to all countries ... do not join the economic war waged by the United States," said Mohsen Rezai, the head of Iran's supreme national security council, on state television.

"Any country participating in the imposition of economic restrictions against us is considered an enemy," he added.

If the countries concerned refused to "distance themselves" from the United States, Iran would "harm" their interests, he added.

Rezai also insisted that the Islamic republic had more cards to play in the war, claiming that "we have not yet attacked any American economic interests."

"So far, we have only targeted military bases, but if they want to impose economic sanctions on us, the United States has oil and economic companies around Iran and elsewhere, and we will strike them," Rezai threatened.

Should Trump "take action, our confrontation will be like an earthquake," he added.

Washington has also called on other governments to join its efforts to isolate the Iranian economy, notably Beijing, among Iran's top strategic partners.

But China has criticised the initiative, arguing that American sanctions would not resolve the conflict in the Middle East.

One of Iran's major trading partners, the United Arab Emirates, announced on Tuesday that it was suspending all trade and financial transactions with Tehran until further notice.

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