A senior official from Iran has expressed that the country is geared up for a protracted conflict with the United States and indicated a willingness to continue targeting Gulf nations to persuade them to urge US President Donald Trump to de-escalate.
In a recent CNN interview from Tehran, Kamal Kharazi, a foreign policy advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader, dismissed the possibility of diplomacy at this juncture and stated that the war could only conclude through economic hardships, indicating a firming of the government's position a week into the hostilities.
"I no longer see any scope for diplomacy. Donald Trump has consistently misled others and failed to uphold his commitments, a pattern we witnessed during two previous negotiation attempts—while we were negotiating, they launched strikes against us," Kharazi disclosed to CNN on Monday.
He further noted, "No negotiation can take place unless the economic strain intensifies to a level where other nations feel compelled to intervene to halt the aggression from the Americans and Israelis toward Iran," suggesting that Gulf Arab nations and other countries must exert influence on the US to conclude the war.
"This conflict has generated significant economic pressure—on others as well—in terms of inflation and energy shortages. If it continues, this pressure will escalate, making intervention unavoidable for others," he remarked.
Since the onset of the hostilities initiated by the US and Israel, Iran has reportedly engaged in multiple strikes targeting different nations throughout the Middle East. Tehran maintains that these actions are aimed at US interests within Gulf territories, albeit civilian structures and airports have also been affected.
The Iranian assaults have taken advantage of the vulnerabilities within the global energy trade, impacting infrastructure and transportation routes. Maritime activities through the Strait of Hormuz have almost ground to a halt, with crude oil prices exceeding $100 per barrel, causing significant disruptions to households and financial markets.
Current estimates indicate that about 20% of the global oil supply has been adversely affected by the ongoing conflict, which is approximately double the disruption witnessed during the Suez Crisis of 1956-1957, according to data compiled by the Rapidan Energy Group.
Beyond obstructing oil exports from the region, the ongoing conflict has also depleted the usual "spare capacity" that is typically employed to buffer impacts in energy markets. This term references the additional volume of oil production that could be rapidly restored if demand necessitated it.
A representative from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Sunday that Iran is allegedly applying 60% of its military capabilities to assault US bases and other key targets in the area.
In another notable development, Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has been appointed to the nation's highest position, suggesting the likelihood of further escalation in the conflict.
When asked if the Iranian military and the supreme leadership are aligned moving forward, Kharazi confirmed, "Yes, precisely."
He elaborated, "The leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran is tasked with overseeing the nation’s defense capabilities, and just as Ayatollah Khamenei fulfilled this role, the new leader will carry on this responsibility."
President Trump previously commented that Khamenei’s elevation as his father's successor would be "unacceptable" to him.
In response, Kharazi stated, "That is beyond his concerns."
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