Iranian parliamentarian Mahmoud Nabavian has warned Gulf Arab states of large-scale destruction of their oil infrastructure if the United States resumes military strikes against Iran, in a public broadside that escalates regional tensions just days into a fragile ceasefire extension.
Writing on X, Nabavian said the leaders of regional countries “should know that this time, Iran’s crushing response will lead to the complete cessation of regional oil production, the destruction of all infrastructure, and the displacement and refugee status of their people.”
Nabavian is described as a hardline lawmaker who formed part of Iran’s delegation at the first round of US-Iran indirect talks in Islamabad. His threat lands at a particularly sensitive moment: US President Donald Trump this week extended the ceasefire with Iran for an unspecified period, while US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on April 24 that American forces remained “locked and loaded” on Iranian targets.
Iran has previously framed its strikes during the war as targeting “the presence of the US” in Gulf countries — language used by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to justify hits on bases in states hosting American forces, rather than on the host countries themselves. Nabavian’s statement marks a rhetorical departure, naming Gulf infrastructure and civilian populations directly.
For Sri Lanka, the threat carries economic weight. Colombo imports the bulk of its crude through the Strait of Hormuz, and the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has already weathered repeated price shocks since the spring conflict. A renewed strike on Gulf production capacity would feed straight into pump prices and the rupee.
The Ada Derana report citing BBC notes Nabavian represents Iran’s hardline wing — distinct from the diplomatic track being run by Araghchi, who has continued to engage US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner via Pakistani mediators in Islamabad.
