Iran has warned Donald Trump that any further attack on its interests will trigger a harsher response, as Tehran expands its blacklist of international vessels and prepares to impose a new restricted zone around the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf delivered the starkest warning, saying the ‘rules of the game have changed’ and that attacks on Iran would receive a ‘faster, heavier and more painful response’. He also warned that US energy interests in the region are exposed.

The message came as the latest escalation pushed commercial shipping deeper into the US-Iran confrontation, with oil prices surging and traffic through the world’s most important energy chokepoint falling sharply.

Iran Warns Trump Over Further Attacks
Qalibaf’s warning followed a new exchange of attacks involving Iranian forces, US forces, and commercial vessels.

US Central Command said American forces had struck three Iranian oil tankers after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacked US warships in the region. The latest confrontation has added further pressure to an already fragile shipping environment.

Qalibaf’s comments are particularly significant because they extend Tehran’s warning beyond military targets. He said the region’s US-linked oil and gas infrastructure is vulnerable, raising the stakes around an energy network that stretches across the Gulf.

Iran Blacklists 56 Vessels
Iran has also tightened its restrictions on international shipping. The Persian Gulf Strait Authority has added 11 vessels to its non-compliant list, taking the total to 56 ships. The vessels include crude-oil tankers, LNG and LPG carriers, and clean-product vessels.

Iran says vessels on the list can face penalties, including fines, detention, or cargo confiscation, if they attempt to transit the Strait in violation of its rules. Ships conducting activities such as ship-to-ship transfers with listed vessels can also face sanctions.

Some of the blacklisted vessels have links to major regional shipping companies, including UAE-based ADNOC and Saudi Arabia’s Bahri. That does not mean those companies themselves have been blacklisted, an important distinction when describing Tehran’s list.

Read More: Tehran Blacklists International Vessels as Parliament Speaker Warns Game Rules Have Changed