Iran's Qalibaf warns US oil firms would be targeted if tankers attacked

September 7, 2026 at 03:10 PM1 min

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Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Tehran would retaliate against US oil and gas companies in the region if Washington attacks Iranian oil tankers. He was responding to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's September 5 statement that the US would destroy and sink Iranian tankers if Iran fires on US ships.

Key Facts

Qalibaf said US oil and gas companies operating in the region are equally vulnerable and would be targeted in response to any attack on Iranian assets.
Hegseth stated on September 5 that the US would destroy and sink Iranian oil tankers if Iran fires on US ships.
Qalibaf pointed to previously rendered unusable military bases as evidence of Iran's capability to retaliate.
Hegseth also claimed the Iranian tanker fleet is vulnerable and that US aircraft, ships, and submarines have the capacity to attack it.

Qalibaf's Warning

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned that any US attack on Iranian oil tankers would be met with retaliation against American oil and gas companies in the region. He said the oil and gas production chain in the region is spread over a wide area and is accessible, making US companies equally vulnerable. Qalibaf added, "If you attack our assets, you will also be attacked. We have proven this before. Ask the military bases that are no longer usable."

Hegseth's Statement

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on September 5 that the US would destroy and sink Iranian oil tankers if Iran fires on US ships. Hegseth also argued that Iran's fleet of oil tankers is vulnerable and that US aircraft, ships, and submarines have the capacity to attack it.