Iran over the weekend issued blunt warnings to the United States and regional actors that it would mount decisive retaliation if American forces carried out fresh strikes on Iranian targets. The comments came as Kuwait reported intercepting hostile drones and multiple maritime incidents were recorded off the Gulf of Oman.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi made the remarks during separate telephone conversations on Saturday with senior officials in Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. According to Araqchi's Telegram account, he told Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan that Tehran would respond firmly to any "aggression" and raised concerns about the consequences of what he described as "destabilizing actions" by the U.S., and the potential for heightened regional insecurity.
Araqchi later spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, saying any attacks by the U.S. and Israel, or involvement by regional countries in such strikes, would be met with a "proportionate response."
Separately, Nournews, a media outlet linked to Iran's top security body, published a warning that U.S. strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure would trigger Iranian attacks on oil fields in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and on the gas fields of Qatar and Israel, using very stark language saying "all will be burned to ashes."
Those warnings followed an announcement from Kuwait's army that it had destroyed hostile drones launched by Iran against a number of vital facilities. Kuwait also reported material damage from falling shrapnel after a government facility in northern Kuwait and civilian property on Bubiyan Island were hit on Saturday; the Kuwait army said there were no casualties.
The weekend statements and military incidents arrive against a backdrop of rising tensions linked to the wider conflict. At a cabinet meeting held at the Camp David retreat on Friday, President Donald Trump said he believed U.S. negotiators - including his son-in-law Jared Kushner, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio - could still secure a deal with Iran. Trump also said he was losing faith in the Iranians, adding that "they break their word so often," and said he would be "hitting them."
The situation has clear implications for global energy markets and shipping. Oil prices have remained elevated since U.S. and Israeli forces began strikes on Iran on February 28, and the persistent threat of further Iranian attacks has deterred much shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for global energy supplies. The uncertainty has contributed to volatility and higher fuel costs.
Benchmark Brent crude futures rose 24% in July, and analysts polled by Reuters expect prices to climb further over the course of the year. President Trump has argued that his aim of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons justifies short-term higher fuel costs, though he acknowledged economic pain is creating political pressure to find a resolution to the conflict.
Maritime security concerns have extended beyond the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Houthi allies in Yemen have recently threatened the Bab el-Mandeb strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, another route used for Saudi crude exports. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported two maritime incidents off Oman on Saturday. In one, a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile that damaged the engine room. In the other, the master of a tanker observed a large splash and an explosion close to the vessel, though no damage was reported in that second incident.
Regional leaders and market participants now face a precarious mix of explicit threats, military activity, and damaged infrastructure. The publicly stated positions from Iranian officials and affiliated media, coupled with the reported drone and maritime incidents, underscore the fragility of regional energy routes and the sensitivity of supplies to further escalation.
For now, the record shows an environment of heightened rhetoric and incidents rather than a resolved trajectory. Officials on all sides have made clear the stakes involved, while energy markets and shipping interests continue to monitor developments closely.