Iran’s top military advisor to the Supreme Leader has issued a stern warning to the United States, telling the Trump administration to unfreeze $24 billion in Iranian assets or face a wider conflict that extends well beyond the Persian Gulf.
In an exclusive interview with CNN’s Frederik Pleitgen on Friday, June 5, Gen. Mohsen Rezaei said nuclear and sanctions talks between Washington and Tehran are deadlocked.
Iran Demands Release of $24 Billion in Frozen Assets
He pointed directly at President Donald Trump to break the impasse by releasing the frozen funds.
“24 billion dollars is not much for America if he wants to reach an agreement with Iran,” Rezaei said. He stated that the money belongs to Iran, not the United States. “This is our own money.”
Rezaei, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and now a senior advisor, argued that negotiating would cost America far less than continued fighting.
Tehran Threatens to Expand Conflict Beyond the Persian Gulf
He warned that any ongoing blockade or military pressure would push Iran to expand its military activities in major international waterways.
“If the war and blockade continue, Iran will drag it into the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab, Mediterranean,” he said.
The warning came following a tense period of hostilities between the US and Iran that saw brutal strikes and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which ultimately led to a fragile ceasefire.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway through which about 20 percent of global fuel passes, has faced threats, and oil markets remain jittery.
Rezaei’s latest warning raises the stakes by identifying additional critical chokepoints in global trade.
The Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait have already seen attacks linked to Iran-backed groups in recent years.
Also Read: 18 Republicans Defy Trump, Help Pass Ukraine Aid and Russia Sanctions Package
Extending operations into the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean would threaten shipping routes that carry much of the world’s oil and goods.
Insurance rates for vessels in those areas could spike, and energy prices might climb sharply if Tehran follows through.
Rezaei ruled out a direct meeting between Trump and Iran’s Supreme Leader. “It will not happen,” he said flatly.
U.S. officials have not yet responded publicly to the latest remarks. The White House has pushed for a new nuclear deal that would limit Iran’s enrichment program in exchange for sanctions relief.
Previous talks collapsed, and trust between the two sides remains low.
Also Read: Trump Privately Signals He Won’t End Iran Ceasefire Unless American Troops Die
Tehran has long insisted that the frozen assets, mostly from oil sales, held in foreign banks, must be released as a show of good faith.
American lawmakers have resisted, citing Iran’s support for proxy militias across the Middle East and its nuclear advances.
It was recently reported that Trump plans to release some of Iran’s frozen assets as part of the deal to end the war, which began earlier this year.
Rezaei’s warnings could imply that, despite reported damage from recent U.S. strikes, he projected confidence that Iran could handle more pressure and hit back in new theaters.
Tehran has employed similar language before to deter attacks and gain leverage at the negotiating table.
Global Shipping and Energy Markets Face New Risks
Still, with proxy networks active from Yemen to Lebanon and naval forces in the Gulf, the risk of miscalculation for the United States is real.
Global shipping companies have been reviewing routes since the conflict started around the Strait of Hormuz. Major oil importers in Europe and Asia have been expressing worry about interruptions.
They have been warning that a prolonged naval conflict would affect everything from European gas prices to Asian factory supply chains.
