Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a strong warning that it will act to deprive the United States and its regional allies of oil and gas supplies “for years” if President Trump follows through on threats to target Iranian civilian infrastructure.
In a statement released on April 7, 2026, the IRGC declared: “We have not initiated attacks on civilian targets and will not; however we will not hesitate to retaliate against despicable aggressions on civilian facilities.”
Direct Threat of Prolonged Retaliation
The Guard further stated it would “act against American infrastructure and its partners in a way that will deprive the Americans and its allies of regional oil and gas for years.”
It added a clear message to Gulf countries: “Regional American partners should know that, until now we have exercised significant restraint for the sake of good neighborliness and have taken precautions in selecting retaliatory targets, but from now on, all such precautions have been removed.”
Shift in Iran’s Posture
This announcement marks a significant shift, signalling the end of Iran’s previous restraint in response to repeated US-Israeli strikes on its energy sites, including the South Pars gas field and Mahshahr petrochemical zone. The IRGC explicitly linked the new aggressive stance to Trump’s recent threats against Iranian civilian and energy infrastructure amid the ongoing conflict that began on February 28, 2026.
The warning heightens fears of sustained attacks on Gulf oil facilities, pipelines, and shipping routes, which could cause long-term disruptions to global energy supplies. With the Strait of Hormuz already under tight Iranian control and shipping volumes sharply reduced, any further escalation risks driving oil prices higher and creating supply shortages lasting months or even years.
Analysts note that the IRGC’s declaration raises the stakes dramatically, as Gulf states hosting US-linked energy assets could now face direct retaliation.