Iran Warns of Stronger Response; Hamid Bovard Acting Oil Minister

Iran – (Special Correspondent/Web Desk) – Iran has named Hamid Bovard acting oil minister after Mohsen Paknejad resigned from the job on Sunday. The change comes at a tense time for the country’s energy sector.

The president’s office said Paknejad left for personal reasons. No other cause was given in the official statement.

Bovard already leads the National Iranian Oil Company. He will now carry both responsibilities until a permanent minister is chosen.

State television said Paknejad had offered to quit some time ago, citing personal issues. President Masoud Pezeshkian first asked him to stay on. He accepted the resignation only after the minister kept insisting.

The timing is hard to ignore. The United States still blocks Iranian oil exports, and the economy is under heavy pressure from the war and from sanctions.

Talks to end the conflict are still stuck. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke at a gathering of foreign ambassadors on Sunday. He said there is no military answer to this war and no answer based on new sanctions.

He also warned that Iran would hit back harder if its enemies returned to military action. In his view, only talks based on justice and fairness can end the fighting.

The war began in late February. Weeks of heavy US and Israeli bombing did not bring a clear end. Washington has since cut back its strikes and turned to economic pressure instead.

The main fight is now over the Strait of Hormuz. It is a key route for Gulf oil and gas. Iran has tried to limit ships passing through it since the war started. It has attacked vessels that tried to cross without its permission.

The United States answered with a blockade of Iranian ports. It has also struck ships that it says broke the blockade.

A new incident was reported on Sunday. The UK maritime agency UKMTO said a tanker in the strait was hit by an unknown projectile. The engine room was damaged, but the crew was safe. No harm to the environment was reported.

The agency did not say where the ship came from or where it was going. It also did not say when the hit happened.

Last week, Iranian and US officials held indirect talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Tehran put forward seven conditions for reopening the strait.

These include a ceasefire across the Middle East and the release of frozen Iranian assets. Iran also wants oil sanctions lifted and the US naval blockade ended.

President Donald Trump rejected the plan. Even so, he left the door open to more talks or new military action.

Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Washington had sent its reply through go-betweens. He said Iran is now studying it. He added that the country is also preparing for any other outcome.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the latest US reply matched earlier American proposals on nuclear issues. He stressed that Iran is focused on Hormuz. In his words, reopening it needs an end to the disruption of Iranian trade by sea and the lifting of sanctions.

The US has not struck Iran since September 1. However, it has recently added more forces in the region.

For now, Hamid Bovard acting oil minister will have to steer the sector through a blockade and a shaky diplomatic path. Oil markets and Gulf shipping will be watching closely.