Freedom of navigation must be ensured, Oman FM says

A vice president warned that Iran would retaliate against countries backing any damage on its infrastructure following remarks by the US president about pressure on its oil sector.

“If any part of our infrastructure, including oil wells, is damaged as a result of a blockade, we guarantee that four times that damage will be inflicted on the same infrastructure in countries that support the aggressor,” Esmail Saghab Esfahani, vice president and head of Iran’s Strategic Energy Policy and Management Organization, wrote on X on Sunday.

“Our math is different; one oil well equals four oil wells,” Saghab added.

Donald Trump said on Fox News on Sunday that if Iran remains unable to transfer oil to storage or tankers under continued pressure, its pipelines could reach a critical point within about three days.

An Iranian lawmaker said Pakistan does not have the credibility to mediate negotiations and aligns its positions with the interests of the US president.

“Pakistan does not have the necessary credibility for mediation,” Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for the parliament’s National Security Commission, wrote on X, adding that Islamabad takes into account the interests of the US president in its positions.

Rezaei added that Pakistan is unwilling to say that Washington has retreated from its previous proposal.

Internet disruptions are causing daily losses of up to 50 trillion rials — equivalent to roughly $31 million, Jahangir Aghazadeh, head of the Internet and Data Transfer Commission at Tehran’s ICT Guild Organization said Sunday.

Aghazadeh added that about one-fifth of the workforce in digital companies faces potential layoffs.

The internet blackout in Iran has now reached 58 days and, according to NetBlocks, is unprecedented both in Iran and globally.

NetBlocks said on Sunday morning the disruption had exceeded 1,368 hours in its ninth week, adding that the restrictions continue to hinder independent reporting and documentation across the country.

TankerTrackers, a maritime intelligence firm that monitors global oil shipments, said on Sunday satellite imagery confirms the return of crude oil cargoes valued at about $1.05 billion to Iranian ports following rapid interdictions by the US Navy.

The US Coast Guard has seized an estimated $380 million worth of Iranian crude oil in the Indian Ocean, and the shipments appear to be heading toward the United States, it added.

President Donald Trump said Iran’s oil infrastructure could “explode” within three days if disruptions continue, describing a scenario in which blocked oil flows would trigger pressure buildup in pipelines and underground systems.

Trump said in remarks to Fox News that if oil cannot be transported, it continues to build up “mechanically and in the earth,” which could lead to a rupture or explosion that would permanently damage the system.

He added that even if rebuilt, the infrastructure would likely only recover to about “50%” of its current capacity, calling it a “very, very powerful” consequence.