Iran Signals Willingness To Play Long Game, Touts Oil-Price BrinkmanshipA top Iranian official suggested the regime will continue to attack Gulf countries in lieu of a diplomatic resolution to the conflict for the foreseeable future.Kamal Kharazi, foreign policy adviser to the office of the Supreme Leader, signaled defiance in the face of intense air strikes by the U.S. and Israel in an interview broadcast Monday.His commentary came as Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been lined as his successor.“I don’t see any room for diplomacy anymore,” Kharazi told CNN when asked about the prospect of a ceasefire. “Because Donald Trump had been deceiving others and not keeping with his promises, and we experienced this in two times of negotiations — that while we were engaged in negotiation, they struck us.” He went on to suggest countries in the Middle East and beyond feeling the pain from spiraling oil prices could be a factor in ending the war.“There’s no room unless the economic pressure would be built up to the extent that other countries would intervene to guarantee [the] termination of aggression of Americans and Israelis against Iran,” he said.Meanwhile, as oil prices topped $100 per barrel for the first time since 2022, a spokesperson for Iran’s military joint command reportedly hinted that the cost could double if the attacks on energy infrastructure continued. “If you can tolerate oil prices above $200 per barrel, continue this game,” a spokesperson of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters was quoted as saying by Iran's state broadcaster.https:https://x.com/cnnipr/status/2031024982969467353//x.com/cnnipstatus/2031024982969467353?s="I don't see any room for diplomacy anymore," Kamal Kharazi, Foreign Policy Advisor to the office of the Supreme Leader, tells @fpleitgenCNN in an exclusive interview in Tehran. He also said he believes the regime can continue with the war for a long time. pic.twitter.com/tQetUT8lkW— CNN International PR (@cnnipr) March 9, 2026See All UpdatesClose