Even as Gulf-brokered diplomacy paused a planned US military strike On Iran on Tuesday, Tehran made its position clear: any new attack will draw a fiercer response, and the Strait of Hormuz is not going back to what it was.
Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, issued a blunt warning. "Any new aggression will bring greater humiliation for Trump, and the Strait of Hormuz will never return to its previous state. No power will be able to reopen it without our consent," he said, according to Iran International.
Through state broadcaster IRIB, he added: "Any aggression against Iran will face a stronger response, and we are fully prepared for all possible scenarios."
????Ebrahim Rezaei, Spokesperson for the Parliament's National Security Commission:
— IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) (@iribnews_irib) May 19, 2026
"Any aggression against Iran will face a stronger response, and we are fully prepared for all possible #scenarios."
The remarks came hours after Trump announced he had called off a strike on Iran — scheduled for Tuesday — at the request of the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Trump said he had instructed the military to remain ready to launch a "full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment's notice" if negotiations fail.
Tehran, however, showed no sign of softening. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had already declared: "We will never bow our heads before the enemy, and if talk of dialogue or negotiation arises, it does not mean surrender or retreat.", IRIB reported.
ALSO READ: 'Deal Will Be Made': Trump Puts Attack On Iran On Hold For Few Days After Gulf Leaders Request
Iran has insisted the US lift its blockade on Iranian shipping, immediately lift sanctions, pay reparations, unfreeze assets, and accept Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier in the week, Rezaei had warned: "Our restraint is over. Any attack on our vessels will trigger a strong and decisive Iranian response against American ships and bases."
The war, now nearly three months old, has seen Iran close the Strait of Hormuz to almost all shipping — choking off 20% of the world's oil and gas supplies and sending crude prices surging past $107 a barrel.
Negotiations, mediated through Gulf states and Pakistan, remain deadlocked over Iran's nuclear programme and the terms for reopening the waterway.
ALSO READ: US-Iran War Live News Updates: Very Major Attack On Iran Held Off, Says Trump
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