Iran warns of 'faster, heavier, more painful response' to US attacks

Iran's chief diplomat has threatened a quicker, more forceful and impactful response to any American aggression, as tensions between the two nations continue to rise. Speaker of Iran's Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, cautioned that the "rules of the game" have shifted, according to a translation of his remarks on state media.

His comments came just a week after the resumption of hostilities between Iran and the US, following Washington's reported attack on Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for Tehran's assault on American warships. The BBC has reached out to US Central Command (Centcom) for a statement. Iranian state media reported on Sunday that Iran's Navy had targeted an American remotely-operated craft attempting to enter the Strait of Hormuz.

Centcom spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins dismissed the claim as "a total lie," according to the Associated Press. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded with his own threat, tweeting on Saturday, "If Iran shoots at US ships, we will destroy (and sink) their oil tankers." The 60-day truce between the US and Iran officially ended last month, and that period of relative peace ended abruptly when the US resumed strikes on Iranian targets on Sunday.

The violence has persisted throughout the week, with both sides launching multiple attacks in the region, including in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan. US President Donald Trump has stated that the renewed fighting would not last "too long," echoing his frequent promises since the conflict began six months ago in February.

Months of talks between the US and Iran have not produced lasting peace, and there is little indication of a diplomatic resolution in sight. The Strait of Hormuz, crucial to the global oil and gas industry, has effectively been closed since the war started, making it a key bargaining chip for Iran. Tehran has vowed to retain some level of control over the waterway.

However, Trump has claimed that the strait is "open," and the US military has been assisting ships in navigating the southern route. The conflict in the strait has resulted in higher global gas prices, and as the US midterm elections approach in November, Trump is facing scrutiny over the war's impact on American consumers. The average price for diesel in the US reached $5.85 per gallon on Friday, up from an average of $3.71 a year ago.

According to US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, approximately 9 million barrels of oil pass through the strait daily, which could help alleviate pressure on energy costs. Wright told CNN that, with oil also flowing through regional pipelines, "we're probably two-thirds or more of pre-conflict flows." In an interview on ABC This Week, Wright added that gas prices are expected to start decreasing for Americans as summer demand wanes after Labor Day.