Iran Warns of Fourfold Retaliation as Diplomatic Efforts Intensify

Iranian Vice President Esmail Saghab Esfahani on Sunday warned of fourfold retaliation against countries that support any damage to the country's infrastructure, following remarks by US President Donald Trump on pressure targeting Tehran's oil sector. Saghab said any attack on Iran's facilities would prompt a significantly escalated response. "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," he wrote on X on Sunday. "Our math is different; one oil well equals four oil wells," he added, underscoring the scale of retaliation Iran would consider. The comments came after Trump indicated that sustained pressure could disrupt Iran's ability to transfer oil to storage or tankers. Speaking to Fox News, he said that if such constraints continued, Iran's pipelines could reach a critical point within about three days. The exchange highlights heightened tensions around Iran's energy infrastructure, which has been at the centre of recent pressure measures. Tehran's warning points to potential consequences for countries seen as supporting actions that affect its oil sector. The weeks-long conflict involving Iran, the US and Israel remains at a critical juncture. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Russia on Monday for talks with President Vladimir Putin, with discussions expected to focus on the status of negotiations, ceasefire efforts and regional developments. Separately, Iran has conveyed a "two-stage plan" to the United States via Pakistani intermediaries, outlining a framework to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reported. The new proposal, given to the US via the Pakistani mediators, focuses on solving the crisis over the strait and the US blockade first. As part of that, the ceasefire would be extended for a long period or the parties would agree on a permanent end to the war. According to the proposal, the nuclear negotiations would only start at a later stage, after the strait was open and the blockade lifted. This comes as Trump indicated that any future talks would require Iran to initiate contact, saying Tehran could "call" Washington if it wished to negotiate, while reiterating that Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons.