Former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei reportedly threatened on Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz “will not reopen” unless the United States withdraws from the Persian Gulf, marking one of Tehran’s clearest public warnings yet over the strategic waterway.
Rezaei, now a member of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council, said security in the Gulf and the strait “should be managed by the countries of the region themselves,” and argued that regional stability would not return so long as American forces remain in the area. Iranian state-linked outlet WANA cited Rezaei as saying that the strait “will not reopen” and that restoring normal conditions depends on Iran’s conditions being met.
Rezaei also said the end of the war “lies with Iran,” and declared that Tehran would only consider stopping the fighting once Washington compensates Iran for all damage and provides what he called a “100 percent guarantee” against future threats. “We will consider ending the war only when, first, we receive full compensation for all our damages from the United States, and second, we obtain a 100% guarantee for the future,” he said, adding that such a guarantee “is not possible without the withdrawal of the US from the Persian Gulf.”
In televised remarks carried by Iranian and regional media on Friday, Rezaei maintained a defiant tone, saying, “We are still winning politically, defensively and economically.” He claimed that “we have defeated the US” and warned US President Donald Trump directly, saying, “Mr. Trump, our missiles are unlimited, while your THAAD missiles are exhausted.” Rezaei added that Iran would no longer accept a ceasefire on previous terms, saying the conflict would continue until a final outcome is reached.
Tehran escalates messaging on Hormuz, broader war
The threats came as Iranian messaging on Hormuz hardened more broadly. On Saturday, Iran’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Ali Mousavi, was quoted by Iranian media as saying that tensions in the Strait of Hormuz were the result of “illegal US-Israeli aggression” against Iran, and that Washington and Jerusalem would bear responsibility for “any tension or the dire consequences in the region.”
Rezaei also sought to frame the war as a strategic turning point for the Islamic Republic. “After the war, Iran will no longer be like before the war,” he said. “Iran will have a greater power in the region,” adding, “The future is ours. The flag of Iran is high.”