Iran Threatens Asset Seizure From Nationals Supporting US & Israel
Tehran has issued a warning that it will confiscate the assets of Iranian nationals abroad who demonstrate support for the United States and Israel amid the escalating conflict, state media reported Sunday. The move comes as segments of the Iranian diaspora publicly celebrate the recent U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a reaction sharply contrasting with the official mourning period declared by the regime.
According to the prosecutor general’s office, individuals who “sympathise, support, or cooperate with the American-Zionist enemy” will face asset seizure and other legal penalties under existing Iranian law. The office cited legislation allowing for the confiscation of property belonging to those collaborating with governments or groups deemed hostile to Iran’s national security.
The announcement reflects a hardening stance by the new leadership under Mojtaba Khamenei, who recently succeeded his father as Supreme Leader. U.S. President Donald Trump has previously characterized Mojtaba’s appointment as “unacceptable,” according to reports, signaling a likely continuation of the Islamic Republic’s hardline policies established since the 1979 revolution.
The conflict, now in its tenth day, shows no immediate signs of de-escalation. Trump has demanded an “unconditional surrender” from Iran, a demand so far rejected by Tehran. The war’s impact is increasingly felt globally, particularly in energy markets. The Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane, has effectively ground to a halt, driving crude oil prices above $100 a barrel for the first time since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Finance ministers from the G7 nations – the U.S., Canada, U.K., Japan, Germany, France, and Italy – held an emergency meeting Monday to address the soaring oil prices. While no formal agreement was reached, the International Energy Agency (IEA) confirmed discussions included the potential release of emergency oil stocks, with member countries collectively holding over 1.2 billion barrels of reserves. Reuters reported.
The escalating tensions follow a series of retaliatory strikes. Israel has repeatedly targeted Tehran, including attacks on Friday coinciding with the Persian New Year, Nowruz. Earlier, Iranian attacks targeted energy infrastructure in Gulf Arab states, setting Qatari liquefied natural gas facilities and a Kuwaiti oil refinery ablaze, according to the Associated Press. These attacks came in response to an Israeli strike on a major Iranian natural gas field.
The conflict has similarly expanded beyond the Middle East, with the recent attack on the U.S.-UK military base Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean marking the first such expansion since the initial U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran began on February 28.
Meanwhile, a report published in August 2025 by the Group for Analyzing and Measuring Attitudes in Iran (GAMAAN) indicated that only approximately 20% of Iranians supported the continuation of the Islamic Republic in 2024, with a majority favoring a different political system. Approximately 750,000 Iranians resided in the U.S. As of 2024, according to the Pew Research Center.
As of Sunday, the U.S. Has deployed Marines to the Middle East, and Israel continues to threaten further escalation. The fate of the Strait of Hormuz, and the global economy’s reliance on its uninterrupted flow of oil, remains uncertain.