Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s president, has told the US that a war with his country would be “the mother of all wars”, warning once again that shipping might not be safe in the Strait of Hormuz oil waterway.
Tensions have risen between Iran and the West since last year when Washington pulled out of an international agreement which curbed the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme in return for an easing of economic sanctions.
“Peace with Iran is the mother of all peace, war with Iran is the mother of all wars,” Mr Rouhani said at the foreign ministry.
Mr Rouhani said he preferred the option of peace, saying talks were possible but only once all sanctions were lifted.
But he also took on an uncharacteristic hardline rhetoric, challenging both the US and UK.
“Wed downed your drone (US drone) with our own homegrown missile,” he said. “Your friend (Britain) seized our ship but we did not let it go and captured their ship”.
Fuelling fears of a Middle East war with global repercussions, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seized British tanker Stena Impero near the Persian Gulf in July for alleged marine violations, two weeks after British forces captured an Iranian oil tanker near Gibraltar accused of violating sanctions on Syria.
“A strait for a strait. It can’t be that the Strait of Hormuz is free for you and the Strait of Gibraltar is not free for us,” Mr Rouhani said.
“Peace for peace and oil for oil,” he said. “You cannot say that you won’t allow our oil to be exported.”
Mohammed Javad Zarif, Iran’s Foreign Minister, confirmed reports that he declined an offer from a US senator to meet Trump at the White House last month despite the threat of sanctions.
The US imposed its sanctions against Mr Zarif on Wednesday, targeting any assets he has in America and squeezing his ability to function as a diplomat and Iran’s chief negotiator.
“I also said that while [Trump] may want [a] photo op, the US isn’t interested in talks; rather, Iran’s submission. That will never happen,” he said on Twitter.
“An example of US tactics: Threatening to designate somebody in two weeks unless he accepts your invitation to chat in the Oval Office.”