Iran's Revolutionary Guards have intensified their warnings to Washington and Israel as tensions spread across the Middle East, with maritime incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and renewed fighting around Yemen adding to fears of further escalation.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has called for the eventual withdrawal of the United States and Israel from the Middle East as Tehran steps up its rhetoric amid renewed fears of an escalation in the months-long regional conflict.
The warning came on Tuesday, September 22, as Iranian officials responded to the possibility of additional American military action and diplomatic efforts continued around the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The IRGC said Washington and Israel would ultimately have to accept a regional order without their military presence, according to reports covering the latest developments.
The statement follows another warning from IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi, who said the conflict was not over and threatened significant changes to Iran's response if the United States escalated its military campaign.
Mohebbi said Iran could alter the weapons it deploys, its military tactics and the targets it selects. He also warned that Tehran could expand the geographical scope of the confrontation.
His comments were reported independently by the Associated Press.
Washington leaves negotiations on the table
Despite the increasingly confrontational language, diplomatic negotiations have not been completely ruled out.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said President Donald Trump's administration remained determined to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Waltz also indicated that Washington's door remained open for Iran to return to negotiations, provided the United States considered Tehran's participation to be in good faith.
Trump had previously said he was considering several approaches towards Iran, ranging from renewed military action and greater economic pressure to another attempt at reaching an agreement.
Iranian officials have also signalled that diplomacy remains possible, although Tehran has attached conditions to renewed negotiations.
Iran has told mediators that its demands include an end to attacks, relief from the US naval blockade and the release of frozen Iranian assets, according to reports on diplomatic efforts.
Qatar and Pakistan have been involved in attempts to reduce tensions.
Iranian officials head to New York
The escalating rhetoric coincides with the United Nations General Assembly, creating an opportunity for international diplomatic engagement even as military tensions remain high.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in New York ahead of the General Assembly, while President Masoud Pezeshkian was also expected to attend.
The United States granted visas to Pezeshkian and Araghchi but imposed restrictions on members of the Iranian delegation.
Whether the UN meetings will create an opening for direct or indirect negotiations remains uncertain.
Iranian officials have publicly insisted that military pressure must end before meaningful negotiations can resume, while Washington has continued to insist that preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon remains a central objective.
Strait of Hormuz remains a major concern
The confrontation is having consequences beyond the direct exchange of military threats.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported that another commercial vessel had been struck by debris from an unidentified projectile while travelling through the Strait of Hormuz.
The origin of the projectile had not been publicly established at the time of reporting, making it important not to attribute the incident to any of the parties without further evidence.
Another tanker was also struck in the area a day earlier, leaving two crew members injured, according to the Associated Press.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most strategically important maritime routes because a substantial share of internationally traded oil and liquefied natural gas passes through or near the waterway.
Repeated security incidents around the strait therefore carry consequences extending beyond Iran and its immediate neighbours, including risks to shipping, insurance costs and global energy markets.
Iraq reports heavy economic losses
Neighbouring Iraq is also facing economic consequences from disruptions associated with the conflict.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said Iran had prevented Iraqi tankers from passing through the Strait of Hormuz and claimed Iraq had lost around $60 billion in revenue since the conflict began.
He also said the disruption had cost Iraq approximately 60 percent of its monthly export revenue.
Those figures represent the Iraqi leader's account and have not been independently verified in the reporting reviewed by Tokenpress.
The claims nevertheless highlight the wider economic risks created when conflict affects one of the world's most important energy corridors.
Yemen conflict adds another layer
Tensions have simultaneously intensified around Yemen.
Fighting involving the Houthis and Saudi Arabia has renewed concerns that the broader regional conflict could increasingly overlap with existing disputes.
Britain announced that it would provide Saudi Arabia with limited air-to-air refuelling assistance following a request from Riyadh.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the support as defensive and time-limited, saying Britain was seeking to contribute to regional stability and efforts to keep major shipping routes open.
The Group of Seven countries also called on the Houthis to halt military attacks against Saudi Arabia and civilian shipping and urged Iran to stop providing weapons and support to the Yemeni group.
No clear diplomatic breakthrough yet
For now, the competing statements from Tehran and Washington illustrate the combination of military threats and diplomatic signalling that continues to shape the conflict.
Iran says any renewed American strikes would trigger retaliation against US interests and military facilities across the region. Tehran has also warned countries in the Middle East against allowing their territory or facilities to be used for attacks against Iran.
Washington, meanwhile, continues to apply military and economic pressure while publicly leaving negotiations available as an alternative.
With Iranian officials attending the UN General Assembly in New York, international attention will increasingly focus on whether diplomatic intermediaries can narrow the gap between the two sides.
Until that happens, developments in the Strait of Hormuz, Yemen and elsewhere demonstrate how the confrontation has moved beyond a bilateral dispute, carrying increasingly serious security and economic consequences across the Middle East.
