Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei warned that any country joining the US economic sanctions campaign will be considered an enemy, threatening to target the interests of states that comply and to block Gulf oil exports [1][6][11]. The warning came as US Central Command announced that American forces had redirected 68 commercial vessels, disabled three, and boarded two others as of August 21 under the blockade against Iran [21][24]. President Donald Trump stated at a South Carolina rally that he views the Strait of Hormuz as "American territory" and reposted a map on Truth Social labeling the waterway as "NEW US Territory" [2][24][31].

Rezaei, speaking on Iranian state television, declared that "any country participating in the imposition of economic restrictions against us is considered an enemy" and warned that confrontation would be "like an earthquake" [1][6][20]. He outlined a three-stage strategy of negotiation followed by strikes on the interests of countries that join the sanctions, and threatened that not a drop of oil would leave the Gulf if neighbours cooperated with the US campaign [13][20][25]. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the measures as "the greatest coordinated economic isolation in the history of the world" and told allies they are "either with us or against us" [6][23][26]. White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said the President had "destroyed Iran's military capability" and was "strangling its economy with the most successful port blockade in history" [32]. Trump described the campaign as "the most crushing economic operation ever taken" against another country [4][23].

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei argued that the secondary sanctions amount to "an assertion of extraterritorial sovereignty over every independent member state of the United Nations" and violate the UN Charter's principle of sovereign equality [4][5][22]. Baghaei called the sanctions a "declaration of war on all nations" and warned they would lead to "the complete erosion of sovereignty" and "a return to full-scale classic colonialism" [27][30]. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the campaign as "bound to fail," comparing it to previous US pressure efforts: "14 years ago: 'Most crippling sanctions in history.' Failed. 8 years ago: 'Maximum pressure.' Failed... We have seen this movie before. Same bull. Different bullies" [26][30].

Trump's assertion that the Strait of Hormuz is American territory drew direct mockery from Iranian officials. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Trump's "delusions" about the strait would either end soon or Iran would correct them [12][24]. Rezaei said the gap between America's inability to reopen the strait and claiming ownership was greater than the 11,000 kilometers from Washington to Hormuz [32]. Trump stated that the US controls the waterway "with the blockade" and that no ships pass unless the US permits them [11][24]. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright reported that the US military helped move a seven-day average of 8 million barrels of oil per day through the strait, down from more than 20 million before the war [5][22]. Chinese financial analysis indicated that shipping data contradicted US claims of normalized traffic through the waterway [37].

Third countries faced competing pressures from Washington and Tehran. The UAE's Foreign Ministry announced a total suspension of trade, commercial exchanges, and financial transactions with Iran, describing the move as a commitment to international law and regional stability [33][29]. France and Saudi Arabia discussed developing alternative trade routes to bypass the strait, with President Emmanuel Macron expected to host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Paris for talks [11][20]. Pakistan opened a trade corridor for Iran through Pakistani ports, with Commerce Minister Jam Kamal stating the move would position Pakistan as a regional trade and logistics hub [47]. China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that "sanctions and pressure will not help resolve the issue" and called for political and diplomatic resolution [6][17]. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko described the Hormuz disruption as a consequence of US-Israeli aggression that must end before normalization is possible [36]. The EU imposed its first sanctions over the strait's closure, with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stating the bloc would "do it again if necessary" [43], while Germany offered Iran conditional sanctions relief in exchange for permanently reopening Hormuz [44].

Within Iran, President Masoud Pezeshkian called for ending the war "today, when we are powerful and have dignity, and the whole world acknowledges our victory," arguing that US strikes on schools, hospitals, and infrastructure had delegitimized Washington [5][8][22]. Former President Mohammad Khatami defended the negotiated memorandum of understanding as "unprecedented" and warned that losing its opportunities would be dangerous [35]. Parliamentary hardliners rejected diplomatic overtures; lawmaker Mahmoud Nabavian said those speaking of peace mean surrender, and National Security Committee chairman Ebrahim Azizi asserted that Americans "only understand the language of force" [3][35]. Armed Forces Chief of Staff Ali Abdollahi promised "crushing, punishing and devastating responses" across land, sea, air, cyberspace, and air defense [5][18][23]. Navy commander Shahram Irani threatened to teach enemies a lesson at sea and downplayed the blockade's impact on Iranian ports [35]. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf acknowledged the economic strain, stating that "no matter how much military power we have, we won't survive if people are hungry" [5][26][18].

The blockade's impact extended to import-dependent economies far from the Gulf. Pacific Island nations faced fuel price increases of up to 70 percent in Papua New Guinea, with states of emergency declared in Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands [41]. South Korea's crude oil imports fell 15 percent while costs rose 21 percent [38]. Brazilian coverage described the crisis as beneficial, positioning Brazil as a stable alternative oil supplier as Chinese purchases of Brazilian crude nearly doubled [42]. A proposed Iran-Oman deal to manage Hormuz passage faced obstacles from US sanctions risk and insurance clauses that terminate coverage for vessels paying transit fees [39]. Independent analysts assessed that neither military threats nor expanded sanctions could compel Tehran to submit. Carnegie Endowment expert Andrew Leber said Trump was in a dilemma where neither military power nor threats could force Iran to submit [32]. Former US diplomat Alan Eyre argued Trump's statements demonstrated an inability to achieve even the minimum goal of returning maritime traffic through the strait to normal [32]. Council on Foreign Relations expert Edward Fishman noted that Washington had few remaining options unless it threatened to cut anyone trading with Iran off from the US economy [32].

The World Health Organization's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described strikes on a hospital in Iran as "very concerning" and stated that healthcare facilities are protected under international humanitarian law [40]. BBC Persian reporting confirmed damage to schools, hospitals, and a UNESCO World Heritage site from US-Israeli strikes [40]. Legal scholars debated whether deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure meet the threshold of unlawful targeting under international law [40].

Bessent is scheduled to announce detailed sanctions measures, urging cooperation from China, which purchases more than 80 percent of Iran's shipped oil [20][22]. Commercial shipping through the strait remained at roughly a fifth of pre-war volumes [31], while Iran granted passage to several Iraqi oil tankers following requests from Baghdad [10][30].