Iran warns pressure on its exports could destabilize global fuel prices
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref has warned that continued economic and military pressure on Iran could lead to “significant costs,” linking regional stability and global energy security to conditions in the Strait of Hormuz.
In remarks posted on social media, Aref said the security of the strategic waterway “is not free,” arguing that Iran cannot be expected to face restrictions on its oil exports while others benefit from unhindered maritime security.
The security of the Strait of Hormuz is not free. One cannot restrict Iran’s oil exports while expecting free security for others. The choice is clear: either a free oil market for all, or the risk of significant costs for everyone. Stability in global fuel prices depends on a…
— Aref| First VP Iran (@fvpresidentiran) April 19, 2026
“One cannot restrict Iran’s oil exports while expecting free security for others,” he said. “The choice is clear: either a free oil market for all, or the risk of significant costs for everyone.”
Aref added that stability in global fuel prices depends on what he described as a “guaranteed and lasting end” to economic and military pressure against Iran and its allies.
