Iran’s National Security Council chief Ali Larijani issued a stern warning to former U.S. President Donald Trump after Trump threatened Iran with “death, fire and fury” if it closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Larijani responded on social media, declaring that the waterway would either remain a route of peace and prosperity for all or become a path of defeat and suffering for warmongers. He published the same message in six languages, including Persian, English, Russian, Arabic, French, and Chinese.

Larijani further warned that Iran might close the Strait of Hormuz if the United States and Israel continued their attacks on Iran. He also reacted to reports that France planned to send two frigates to the Red Sea to ensure maritime security, arguing that stability in the region was impossible amid U.S. and Israeli-led conflicts. He added that those supporting and escalating the war could not guarantee safety in the area.

The rising tensions around the vital Middle Eastern waterway have sparked renewed international concern, according to the report.