Iran's Security Chief Issues Stark Warnings to Neighbors Amid US Pressure

New Delhi, India Aug 23, 2026 ALN: The new leader of Iran's top security body is threatening neighbors against joining new US efforts to squeeze Tehran's economy.

Egypt is trying to revive Iran-US negotiations. And Iraq and Iran say Tehran has helped some ships carrying Iraqi oil to transit the Strait of Hormuz. France and Saudi Arabia are expected to discuss plans to bypass the waterway.

Meanwhile, Israel has carried out strikes in Syria and in Gaza.

Here's a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East on Saturday.

Iran's New Top Security Adviser Issues Threats

The hard-line new leader of Iran's Supreme National Security Council threatened Tehran's neighbors against joining the new US effort to hurt Iran's economy, accusing the United States of increasing global nuclear insecurity with months of war.

“If (Trump) wants to do something, we will retaliate in a seismic manner,” he said in an interview with the state broadcaster that aired Saturday.

Mohsen Rezaei was named this month as part of senior appointments widely seen as hardening Tehran's political and military stance. His interview with IRIB is his most extensive public statement since then.

Rezaei stated that Iran would target oil-shipping routes out of the Persian Gulf—alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz—if neighbors join what he described as the economic war against Iran. Those neighbors would be considered enemies and “we will target their interests,” he asserted.

US President Donald Trump has vowed to increase Iran's pain by imposing an “unprecedented” level of economic warfare and isolation. Iran has lived under sanctions for years.

Rezaei mentioned ongoing discussions with Oman regarding management of the strait, indicating that fees would be imposed. Iran asserted control over what was seen as an international waterway shortly after the US and Israel attacked on February 28.

He also vowed to make changes to Iran's diplomacy and bring new capabilities to what he termed the next war. He warned the US against sending more military personnel to the region, arguing that the US had increased nuclear insecurity because countries see that participating in international monitoring efforts, as Iran has done, is no protection against attack.

Egypt Tries to Revive US-Iran Negotiations

The top diplomats for Egypt and Iran discussed efforts to bring Tehran and Washington back to the negotiating table to settle the war, according to Egypt's foreign ministry.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty also discussed the Iranian-Omani talks, the ministry reported.

Araghchi briefed Egypt's foreign minister about “Iran's view of ongoing developments, the course of negotiations and their challenges,” the ministry stated, without elaborating. Araghchi confirmed the call. Separately, he mentioned a conversation with Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.

Iran and Iraq Say Some Iraqi Oil is Facilitated Through the Strait

The governments of Iraq and Iran announced that Tehran has assisted some ships carrying Iraqi oil to transit the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil, natural gas, and other supplies, though details were sparse.

“There is facilitation for some ships carrying Iraqi oil in the Strait of Hormuz,” Iraqi President Nizar Amidi stated, adding that Iraq lacks a national carrier for transporting oil.

Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported that several Iraqi oil tankers have been permitted to transit, but it was unclear how many or what Iran might have received in return.

Syria Reports an Israeli Drone Strike

An Israeli drone strike on a vehicle wounded one person on Saturday in the southwestern Syrian village of Beit Jin, according to the Syrian state news agency SANA. Syria's foreign ministry condemned the strike as a flagrant violation of the country's sovereignty.

The Israeli military claimed it targeted a “terrorist who advanced terror attacks in final stages of preparation,” without further details. It was unclear if it was the same strike.

Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes around Syria since the ouster of former President Bashar Assad in late 2024, primarily aimed at destroying army assets to prevent them from falling into the hands of his successors.

Conflicting Messages on the Golan Heights

In an interview on Friday, US Ambassador Tom Barrack stated that Israel “still” occupies the Golan Heights in violation of UN resolutions.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz responded, calling Barrack's remarks “full of inaccuracies and positions that contradict Trump's own position.”

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 war and annexed it in 1981. The UN considers the territory occupied Syrian land. However, in March 2019, Trump signed a proclamation recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, reversing decades of US policy.

French President and Saudi Crown Prince Set to Meet

French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are expected to discuss plans to develop alternative routes to the Strait of Hormuz during the Saudi leader's two-day visit to Paris starting Sunday, according to unnamed officials.

Proposals include increasing trade through Omani ports outside of the Persian Gulf, expanding or doubling pipelines in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere, and developing new rail links.

France and Saudi Arabia have formed a task force on energy and logistics connections between the Middle East and Europe, scheduled to meet at the ministerial level Monday. The officials indicated that the work would focus on identifying strategic projects, securing financing, and establishing roles for French companies.

An Israeli Strike in Gaza Kills One Palestinian

An Israeli strike on the backyard of a house in central Gaza killed one Palestinian and wounded another on Saturday, according to health officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.

Israel's military stated it targeted Sharif al-Hasanat, a Hamas commander involved in efforts to restore Hamas' underground infrastructure. Days earlier, a US negotiator reportedly asked Israel to reduce attacks while seeking to make progress on the ceasefire.