Iran Says US Started War, Now Wants World to ‘Pay the Bill’
TEHRAN, IRAN — WEB DESK: Iran has accused the United States of starting the conflict that disrupted commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and drove up global energy costs, saying Washington is now attempting to make the rest of the world “pay the bill” while blaming Tehran for the consequences.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei made the accusation in a statement posted on X, arguing that maritime traffic through Hormuz had been operating normally before the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
Baghaei said the subsequent conflict disrupted normal commercial shipping, halted tankers, affected international trade and contributed to rising energy prices.
He accused Washington of trying to present those global costs as consequences of Iranian behaviour rather than the result of military action initiated by the United States and Israel.
The description of the war and responsibility for its economic consequences reflects Iran’s position. Washington has offered a sharply different account of the conflict and has blamed Tehran for threats to commercial navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran Blames Washington for Hormuz Disruption
Baghaei’s central argument focused on the timing of disruption to the strategically important waterway.
According to the Iranian spokesperson, the Strait of Hormuz had remained open to normal maritime traffic until the February 28 attacks. He said the subsequent military confrontation disrupted tankers and international commerce and pushed energy costs higher.
His comments come as shipping through the waterway remains severely constrained.
Reuters reported on September 6 that US economic pressure, including sanctions and a naval blockade targeting Iranian oil exports, had significantly reduced Tehran’s ability to sell crude and access foreign currency. At the same time, Iran’s efforts to use its position around Hormuz as leverage have contributed to uncertainty over one of the world’s most important energy corridors.
The confrontation intensified again over the weekend.
The US military said it struck three Iranian crude-oil tankers on September 5 in response to Iranian ballistic missile attacks targeting two US Navy ships. US Central Command said no American personnel were injured in those missile attacks.
Iran, meanwhile, reported attacks of its own against vessels it said were violating its maritime restrictions. The competing military actions have blurred the distinction between the regional military confrontation and commercial shipping risks.
Oil Prices Rise as Maritime Tensions Escalate
The economic consequences highlighted by Baghaei are increasingly visible in international energy markets, although responsibility for them remains contested.
On Monday, Brent crude rose 1.25% to $97.48 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate climbed to around $92.62, as markets reacted to renewed US-Iran attacks on vessels and fears of further disruption to Middle Eastern energy supplies.
Traffic through Hormuz has also fallen sharply. Reuters reported that an average of only around 10 commodity vessels a day had crossed the strait during the previous 10 days, the lowest level since May.
The Strait of Hormuz is critical to global energy security because, under normal conditions, roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through the narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and wider international shipping routes.
Iran Plans New Restricted Maritime Zone
Baghaei’s comments also coincide with Tehran’s announcement that it plans to establish a new restricted maritime zone in the Gulf.
Iran says the proposed zone will extend from the US oil-blockade line toward the Strait of Hormuz. Ships entering the designated area without Iranian authorisation could face sanctions under Tehran’s planned rules.
Iran and Oman have also agreed on maps for a proposed new international shipping corridor through Hormuz, although the arrangement still requires final approval.
The latest developments underline the widening economic consequences of the US-Iran confrontation. What began as a military crisis has increasingly affected commercial shipping, crude exports, insurance risks and global energy prices.
Iran argues that Washington bears responsibility for those costs because the United States and Israel initiated the February attacks. The US, however, maintains that Iranian military activity and restrictions around Hormuz threaten freedom of navigation and regional energy security.
With military exchanges continuing and new maritime restrictions being considered, the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most consequential pressure points in the conflict for the wider global economy.
