Iran has prepared an ‘extensive’ contingency plan to respond to potential attacks on its infrastructure, the country’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Saturday, 2 August 2025. The plan, cited by a senior Iranian security official, involves targeting vital Israeli infrastructure and US energy assets across the West Asia region, should strikes materialise.

What Triggered the Alert

The contingency plan comes in direct response to recent US media reports suggesting imminent military action against Tehran. The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing US officials, that President Donald Trump ‘has ordered the military to launch a fresh attack on Iran that could begin as soon as this weekend and last a few days.’ Separately, CBS News reported that the United States and Israel are jointly preparing for intense strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure, potentially beginning over the weekend.

Iran’s Hormuz Warning

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, issued a stark warning early Saturday, stating that continued US naval blockade and ‘warmongering’ against Iran would ‘further tighten the lock on the Strait of Hormuz’ and lead to the closure of other straits. He added that the global economy, energy markets, and American consumers would ultimately ‘pay the price.’ The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint through which roughly 20% of global oil trade passes.

Iran Warns Britain Against Joining Strikes

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi warned Britain against any military cooperation with the United States in a phone call with British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband late Friday. Araghchi described any such cooperation — including under the pretext of existing defence agreements — as ‘unacceptable,’ according to a statement issued by the Iranian Foreign Ministry. He cited international law and the Convention for the Definition of Aggression, arguing that allowing a country’s territory or facilities to be used for illegal attacks constitutes an act of aggression and grants the attacked state the right to self-defence.

Araghchi also criticised London’s recent designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) as a national security threat, and what he described as Britain’s ‘complicity’ in two wars imposed against Iran in recent months. He called on Britain to reconsider its stance toward Tehran.

For his part, Miliband maintained that Britain was not involved in the war against Iran and that diplomacy remained the preferred path to resolving disputes. Notably, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham last month approved the continued US use of British military bases for Iran-related operations, continuing a policy set by his predecessor.

Background: The Conflict So Far

On 28 February, the United States and Israel launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities, killing Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior military commanders, and civilians, according to reports. Iran subsequently responded with waves of missile and drone strikes on US and Israeli bases and assets across the region, while tightening its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.

Araghchi noted that Iran had entered a diplomatic process with Washington in good faith and signed a memorandum of understanding with the US in June aimed at ending the conflict, but alleged that Washington failed to honour its commitments. Iran has also been working with Oman to establish operational mechanisms to manage shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, and warned that third-party interference would complicate these efforts.

What Comes Next

With both sides signalling readiness for escalation, the coming days will be closely watched by global energy markets and regional governments. Any disruption to the Strait of Hormuz would have immediate consequences for oil supply chains worldwide. Diplomatic back-channels, including the Oman mechanism, remain the last active line of de-escalation.