CAIRO, Sep 08 (Alliance News): Iran threatened the United States with “economic warfare” on Tuesday and said it had fired an advanced missile at US warships, raising fears of further escalation in the Middle East conflict.
The six-month-old war has seen repeated pauses followed by renewed fighting. The United States last reported attacks on Iranian targets on Saturday, when US forces struck three Iranian oil tankers.
Iranian state media reported on Sunday that Tehran had used the Qassem Basir missile during attacks on several US vessels.
Meanwhile, Iran-backed Houthi forces attacked several cities in Saudi Arabia, wounding 73 people, according to a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.
The attacks came as diplomatic efforts to ease the conflict remained stalled and concerns grew that the fighting could spread across the region.
Iran has also continued to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil and gas supplies, with vessel traffic slowing again this week.
Tehran has said it plans to announce a new restricted zone in the Gulf in the coming days, along with maps showing a new shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz.
‘Maritime exclusion zone’
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the proposed restricted zone would begin from the area where the US blockade of Iran starts and extend into parts of the Gulf.
He said any vessel entering the zone would be placed on an Iranian sanctions list.
Rezaei repeated the economic and military warning on Tuesday, saying Washington had received a clear warning from Iran’s new missiles.
He said US economic pressure would be met with a maritime exclusion zone across the Persian Gulf and that Iran had fundamentally changed its operational posture towards US warships and military bases.
Rezaei appeared to be referring to the Qassem Basir ballistic missile, which Iranian media said was launched at US warships near the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military said its warships had evaded missile attacks.
Despite US strikes that have weakened Iran’s conventional military capabilities and put further pressure on its economy, Tehran has retained missile and drone capabilities that can threaten oil tankers travelling through the Strait of Hormuz without Iranian permission.
Iran has also continued to threaten Gulf countries that host US military bases.
Qassem Basir missile
Iran has described the Qassem Basir as an upgraded missile with improved manoeuvrability designed to evade missile defence systems. Iranian media have also said it has a guidance system capable of operating effectively against electronic warfare.
The Fars news agency reported that the missile was first used in combat against Israel in June 2025.
Some analysts believe Iran’s ability to use the Strait of Hormuz as leverage could be weakening, while tougher US economic sanctions are placing increasing pressure on Tehran.
Before the war, around one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed through the Strait of Hormuz, making the waterway strategically important to international energy markets.
The conflict has contributed to higher energy prices and increased pressure on the US administration ahead of congressional elections in November.
US President Donald Trump said on social media that oil prices would fall sharply if the United States wins the war with Iran, predicting gasoline prices could eventually fall below $2 a gallon.
Trump has yet to achieve the objectives he announced when he launched “Operation Epic Fury” in February, including ending Iran’s nuclear programme, stopping its ability to attack neighbouring countries and creating conditions for changes in Iran’s leadership.
Iran’s clerical rulers remain in power and have said they aim to emerge from the conflict stronger.
Tehran continues to demand sanctions relief and hopes eventually to collect fees from ships using the Strait of Hormuz.
