Iran says response to any future US attack will be ‘asymmetric,’ ‘multi-layered’

Iran’s response to any future US attack will be “asymmetric” and “multi-layered” as the recent US attacks had changed Tehran’s security calculations and defense doctrine, First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said Thursday.

“The recent US crimes against the Iranian nation have changed our security calculations and defense doctrine. From now on, our response will be asymmetric, multi-layered and aimed at depriving the aggressor of security,” Aref said in a post through US social media company X.

He also warned of economic consequences for Washington.

“The Americans should think about stockpiling gasoline and fuel; dark months await the American economy,” he said.

Aref did not elaborate on what measures Tehran could take in response to a future US attack or how they could affect US fuel supplies and the broader economy.

His remarks came amid renewed direct fighting between Iran and the US and heightened concerns over energy supplies and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy shipments.

The latest escalation began after a US strike on Iran’s Larak Island on Aug. 30 ended a roughly month-long lull in direct hostilities.

Iran has since launched missiles and drones against US military facilities across the region, including bases in Kuwait and the UAE.

Tehran has also maintained restrictions on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, linking its reopening to Washington fulfilling commitments under an earlier understanding between the two sides.

The US, meanwhile, has intensified economic pressure on Tehran through its “Operation Economic Outcast,” targeting Iran’s oil revenues and other financial lifelines alongside ongoing military operations.