Iran Warns of 'Long and Painful' Retaliation if US Resumes Attacks

Iran warned it would retaliate with 'long and painful' strikes on US positions across the Gulf if Washington resumes attacks, while reasserting sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, complicating US plans to form a coalition to reopen the strategic waterway.

After two months of US-Israeli conflict with Iran, the strait remains blockaded, cutting off 20% of global oil and gas supply. This has sent world energy prices soaring and raised fears of an economic recession.

Diplomatic efforts led by Pakistan to resolve the conflict have stalled. Despite a ceasefire that took effect on April 8, Iran continues to blockade the strait in response to a US naval blockade of its ports, blocking oil exports—the economic lifeline of Tehran.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei defended the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. According to IRNA news agency, Baghaei said on Thursday evening: 'This is due to war and protecting our rights—under international law, it is legal, legitimate, and accepted.'

He accused the US of 'exploiting a waterway' for which Iran is a coastal state. 'In such circumstances, you cannot allow this waterway to be abused,' he said.

Baghaei also justified attacks on US assets in Gulf countries. 'Unfortunately, regional countries have also acted unjustly; during the month of Ramadan, they cooperated with a foreign party to attack a Muslim country, and this will forever be a standing demand,' he said.

On Thursday, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) banned its citizens from traveling to Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq, urging those currently in these countries to leave immediately and return home.

In response to Iran's threat targeting Gulf positions, UAE presidential advisor Anwar Gargash said: 'No unilateral agreement by Iran can be trusted or relied upon, after its treacherous aggression against all its neighbors.'

Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa also condemned what he called Iran's aggression against Manama and accused Tehran of threatening the country's security and stability and abetting insiders. In a statement, the king expressed outrage at individuals and some lawmakers accused of siding with the attackers, warning that traitors could face prison, loss of citizenship, and deportation. He stressed that loyalty to the nation is 'paramount,' calling for unity and accountability, and argued that parliament must be 'purged' of those who support the enemy.

New US Attacks?

It remains unclear whether the US plans to resume attacks on Iran.

Friday was the deadline for Congress to approve the war. Without that—or a 30-day extension, which the Trump administration would also have to justify before the deadline—the US would have to significantly scale back attacks under the 1973 War Powers Resolution.

A senior US administration official said late Thursday that, under the resolution, hostilities had ceased with the start of the ceasefire in April between Tehran and Washington, effectively resetting the clock.

According to Axios, President Donald Trump received reports from officials on Thursday on plans for a series of further military strikes to pressure Iran into negotiating an end to the conflict.

US Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal told CNN on Thursday that he had 'the impression from some briefings' as well as from other sources that 'a military attack is imminent being placed on the table.' He added that the prospect was 'very troubling' because it could 'put American sons and daughters in harm's way' and lead to 'potentially large casualties.'

Iran Prepares for Attacks

Meanwhile, Iran has prepared for possible attacks. Air defense activity was recorded in some areas of the capital Tehran late Thursday, Iran's Mehr news agency reported, and Tasnim news agency said air defense forces were dealing with small drones and unmanned reconnaissance aircraft.

A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) official said any new US attack on Iran, even limited, would be met with 'long and painful' strikes on regional positions. Iranian media quoted the commander of the aerospace force, Major General Majid Mousavi, as saying: 'We have seen what happened to your regional bases, we will see the same happen to your warships.'

Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei sent a written message to the Iranian people that 'the enemy's abuse of the waterway' would be eliminated under new management of the strait, signaling Tehran's intent to maintain control. 'Foreigners coming from thousands of kilometers away... have no place there but at the bottom of the water,' he said.

Multiple Scenarios

Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna, reporting from the White House in Washington, DC, said: 'There is no doubt that various scenarios have been presented to Mr. Trump by military and intelligence advisors on what to do if the ceasefire is not extended.'

'Clearly, that would involve some form of armed action, some form of intensified economic action.'

'There is certainly no doubt that President Trump has every scenario laid out before him, but very clearly, he and he alone will be the one to decide what comes next,' Hanna added.