Iran says it has a new operational plan if U.S. attacks resume
Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei said the military has prepared a response to any renewed attacks, as shipping vessels report strikes.
By BBCorp
What happened
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said Iran has a new operational plan and that its military has prepared a response should the United States resume attacks.
The statement came as shipping vessels reported strikes, according to the report.
Why it matters
The Gulf region sits at the centre of seaborne energy flows, so official warnings about renewed military action and reports of strikes on vessels tend to put a security premium into the pricing of crude and shipping risk. Energy costs feed into inflation expectations, which in turn touch rate pricing and index sentiment.
Escalation language of this kind also draws attention to assets that investors use in periods of geopolitical stress, such as gold and the dollar, while equity markets weigh the effect of higher energy input costs on margins. Nothing in the statement sets out what, if anything, happens next, so headlines rather than scheduled events are the driver.
What to watch
Further statements from Iran's Supreme National Security Council and any confirmation of the strikes reported by shipping vessels, along with any response from the United States, are the developments named in the report.
Markets in play
- OilExposure: HighThreats of renewed military action in the Gulf and reported strikes on vessels bear directly on energy supply and shipping risk.
- GoldExposure: MediumGeopolitical escalation headlines typically raise attention on gold as a stress asset.
- USDExposure: LowThe dollar often features in positioning shifts around security events involving the United States.
Gold