Iran Declares Restraint Is Over

(MENAFN) Tehran has issued its most aggressive warning yet toward Washington, declaring an end to its policy of restraint and threatening direct, large-scale retaliation against American naval assets and military installations if its vessels come under attack.

The stark ultimatum was delivered Sunday by Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for Iran's parliament's Foreign Policy and National Security Committee, via a post on the US social media company X.

"As of today (Sunday), our restraint is over. Any attack on our vessels will be met with a heavy and decisive Iranian response against US vessels and bases," Rezaei said.

The parliamentary spokesman compounded the threat with a pointed warning directed squarely at Washington's strategic calculus. "The clock is ticking against the Americans' interests," Rezaei warned.

He went further, calling on the United States to fundamentally alter its posture in the region. "The best course (for the US) is to surrender and make concessions," he said. "They must adapt to the new regional order."

The declaration marks a significant escalation in rhetoric from Tehran, arriving against a backdrop of sustained and deepening conflict. The US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering retaliatory action by Tehran against Israel and American Gulf allies, alongside the closure of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistani mediation produced a ceasefire on April 8, though negotiations in Islamabad subsequently failed to yield a durable agreement. US President Donald Trump extended the truce without a fixed deadline, preserving space for diplomatic efforts toward a permanent resolution.

However, since April 13, Washington has enforced a naval blockade specifically targeting Iranian maritime traffic within the waterway — a measure Tehran has consistently condemned as an act of economic aggression.

No immediate response from US officials was available at the time of publication.

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