Tensions in the Middle East have escalated after Iran warned it would block oil exports from the region if attacks by the United States and Israel continue. The warning came from Iran's military force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which said it could prevent oil shipments to countries involved in the conflict.
Iran's state-run broadcaster Press TV reported the statement, quoting the IRGC as saying Tehran would not allow even a single litre of oil to be exported from the region if hostilities persist. The threat has raised serious concerns around the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz — a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which nearly 20 per cent of the world's oil supply passes.
Amid the rising tensions, US President Donald Trump warned Tehran against attempting to disrupt global energy supplies. He said any effort by Iran to block tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz would trigger a far stronger military response from the United States.
IRGC: Iran will now allow export of single liter of oil from region to belligerent party, accomplices
— Press TV ? (@PressTV) March 10, 2026
Follow https://t.co/B3zXG73Jym pic.twitter.com/4fKD01qk9d
"They have shot everything they have to shoot, and they better not try anything cute, or it's going to be the end of that country," Trump said, adding that Iran would be hit "twenty times harder" if it interfered with the flow of oil through the waterway.
Despite the heightened rhetoric, crude oil prices fell and global stock markets rose after Trump expressed confidence that the conflict could end soon. However, the escalating crisis has already disrupted commercial shipping in the region, fuelling fears of supply interruptions in global energy markets.
Located between Iran and Oman, the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints for oil trade, handling nearly one-fifth of global supply.
#WATCH | US President Donald Trump says, "As we continue Operation Epic Fury, we're also focused on keeping energy and oil flowing to the world. I will not allow a terrorist regime to hold the world hostage and attempt to stop the globe's oil supply. If Iran does anything to do… pic.twitter.com/tkeQajVQQL
— ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2026
Meanwhile, Israel has said its objective in the conflict is to dismantle Iran's clerical regime. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, "Our aspiration is to bring the Iranian people to cast off the yoke of tyranny."
