Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of Iran's Parliament, warned the United States that any strike against Iran would be met with retaliation on Thursday [1].
The statement follows recent U.S. strikes on Iranian targets, escalating a cycle of aggression that threatens global energy security and regional stability. Because the Strait of Hormuz serves as a primary artery for oil exports, Tehran's control over the waterway creates significant economic leverage over the international community.
Ghalibaf said the Strait of Hormuz would reopen only on Tehran's terms [1]. He said that the waterway would not open under threats [2]. This posture suggests that Iran is utilizing its geographic position as a strategic deterrent against further military action from the U.S.
"If you strike, you'll get hit," Ghalibaf said [1].
The speaker said the U.S. administration regarding the consequences of continued escalation. He said that through such actions, the U.S. would "sink further" [3]. These remarks reflect a hardening of the Iranian legislative stance in response to the recent military engagements.
The warnings come amid rising tensions between the two countries, with both sides deploying assets in the region. The Iranian leadership has signaled that its responses will be proportional to the strikes received, while maintaining a strict grip on the maritime transit routes that the global economy relies upon [1, 2].
“"If you strike, you'll get hit"”
The intersection of military threats and the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz indicates that Iran is shifting from a purely defensive posture to one of active strategic coercion. By linking the reopening of the waterway to its own terms, Tehran is attempting to transform a regional military conflict into a global economic crisis to force a U.S. policy shift.
