“They broke the agreement and committed another vicious act. We have therefore toughened our conditions,” Mohebi said in a rare interview in Tehran.
“We are not their playthings, and they cannot unilaterally violate an agreement they signed whenever they please.”
He added that the US had “no choice” but to accept Iran’s conditions.
During the interview, Mohebi outlined Iran’s view of the nearly seven-month Middle East war and the prospects for ending it as diplomatic efforts stall.
In June, Iran agreed with the United States to a memorandum of understanding that included Iranian demands on the lifting of US oil sanctions, removing the naval blockade on Iranian ports, unfreezing Iranian assets abroad, and ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.
The deal, however, later unravelled, with each side accusing the other of violating it.
Mohebi said Iran had since toughened its demands, including by seeking the release of the full US$24 billion in frozen Iranian assets up front before negotiations, rather than in stages.
“The issue of Yemen was not on the agenda of the previous agreement. We are now demanding that the lifting of the blockade on Yemen be included in the agreement,” he said, in reference to a Saudi-led coalition’s decade-long restrictions on ports and airports run by the Iran-backed Houthis there.
Recently, the Houthis seized control of areas around the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, posing a threat to shipping there, while also declaring a maritime blockade on Saudi ports.
He noted that if the US persisted with its current course, “they will only make things difficult for themselves.”
While the heaviest phase of the war has subsided, sporadic attacks – mainly near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy shipments – have dimmed prospects for peace.
Since the war erupted, Iran has required vessels transiting Hormuz to coordinate with its authorities, while Gulf states have sought alternative routes to bypass the waterway.
“There will be no alternative to the Persian Gulf strait for at least the next 20 years. After all, it is not just about oil,” said Mohebi, adding that the strait was also a vital conduit for other essential products such as fertilisers.
In recent weeks, the US has shifted toward a campaign of what it calls “economic asphyxiation” of Iran, targeting foreign banks over alleged links with Tehran, and in recently announcing tighter sanctions on Iranian airlines and threatening secondary measures against companies servicing them.
“The United States will not achieve its objectives through an economic blockade – even though it harms us – and we will undoubtedly retaliate,” said Mohebi.
He further warned that Tehran would step up its response if the United States launched new attacks on the Islamic republic.
“If they act recklessly and history repeats itself, our resistance will undoubtedly intensify, bolstered by the experience we have gained,” he said.
“This time, we will not merely retaliate; we will adopt an offensive posture, and America will come to regret its actions, suffering greater humiliation than ever before,” said Mohebi.
He confirmed that the United States had tried to establish contact with the Guards, but said they had rebuffed the effort.
“The Americans have tried to contact us but we refuse any such contact. Our dealings with the enemy – as long as they remain hostile – are conducted solely through arms,” said Mohebi, adding that diplomacy was handled by Iran’s foreign ministry. (AFP)
