Iran Vows to Protect Its Nuclear and Missile Capabilities as Oil Prices Soar to Four-Year High
· Time
Iran has vowed to defend its nuclear and missile capabilities in direct defiance of President Donald Trump, who is adamant that a deal can only be made to end the war if Tehran agrees to give up its nuclear ambitions.
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, in a written statement read by a state television anchor on Thursday, said his country will defend its “fundamental and modern technologies—from nano and bio to nuclear and missile—as their national capital and will guard them like their maritime, land, and air borders.”
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He also said that Iran would implement “new legal frameworks and management of the Strait of Hormuz” and argued that “foreigners” have no place in the Persian Gulf, except “at the bottom of its waters.”
The Supreme Leader, who has not been seen in public since he succeeded his late father early on in the war, also directed a warning to U.S. bases and troops in the region, suggesting they "do not even have the strength to ensure their own security."
His statement coincided with Iran’s National Persian Gulf Day.
Iran’s indication that it does not intend to relinquish control of the Strait—and Trump’s vow to maintain the U.S. naval blockade of Iran’s ports in the waterway until a deal is made—means the impasse in the stalled negotiations remains.
On Wednesday, Trump complained that “Iran can’t get their act together.”
“They don’t know how to sign a nonnuclear deal,” he said, warning that the country “better get smart soon.”
The statement was posted alongside a digitally-altered image of the President holding a weapon under the heading “No more Mr. Nice Guy.”
Trump is expected to be briefed by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Adm. Brad Cooper on potential military options Thursday afternoon, according to a report first published by Axios.
Two sources familiar with the briefing reportedly said CENTCOM has prepared a plan for a “short and powerful” wave of strikes aimed at breaking the current negotiating deadlock.
TIME has reached out to the Pentagon and White House for comment.
Iran was swift in its reaction, threatening to respond with "long and painful strikes" on U.S. positions if Washington renews attacks.
“We have seen the fate of your bases in the region; we will also see the same thing happen to your ships,” an Aerospace Force Commander said, according to state media.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated Thursday his nation’s resolve to end the ongoing U.S. blockade.
"The world has witnessed Iran’s tolerance and conciliation. What is being done under the guise of a naval blockade is an extension of military operations against a nation paying the price for its resistance and independence,” he said. “Continuation of this oppressive approach is intolerable."
The latest remarks from Tehran officials stand in strong contrast to Trump’s claim that Iran told him it was in a “state of collapse” on Wednesday and wanted the U.S. to open the Strait “as soon as possible” while they try to “figure out their leadership situation.”
Oil prices hit a four-year high amid continued disruption in Strait of Hormuz
As negotiations remain stalled, continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage through which roughly a fifth of global oil supply passes, has pushed energy prices higher.
Brent crude rose to $126 per barrel early Thursday, marking a four-year high, the highest since 2022, in the wake of the Ukraine-Russia war. The price later dropped back down.
The national average for gasoline has also climbed to $4.3 per gallon, up 7 cents from the previous day, according to the American Automobile Association.
The Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) price index, released monthly by the Commerce Department, showed a 0.7% increase in March from February, reflecting rising costs for goods and services across the U.S.
The prolonged closure of the Strait has contributed to a global supply crunch, forcing governments to take emergency measures to manage energy shortages.
The European Union recently announced an expansion of its sanctions against Iran to “also target those responsible for breaches to freedom of navigation,” in an effort to secure a full, free reopening of the crucial waterway.
The surge in energy costs caused by the disruption to the Strait has ignited a significant rift between the U.S. and its European allies.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has voiced grave concern over the continued negative impact on European markets and directed criticism at the U.S. for its handling of the Iran war.
Meanwhile, leaders from Britain and France have committed to establishing a “strictly defensive” military force to help reopen the Strait, contingent on a “sustainable cease-fire agreement.”