TEHERAN: Iran has warned Britain that a single shot fired in the Persian Gulf area would touch off World War Three within 24 hours. Deputy Hosein Makki, Secretary General of the National Front and Secretary of the eleven-man Mixed Commission charged with implementing the oil nationalisation law said in an interview: “Iran won’t sit back in face of British show of force, but will hit back. If a single shot escapes the barrel of a British gun in the Persian Gulf area there will be a World War Three within 24 hours.”

Makki referred to reports that Britain would send its crack parachute Brigade into the Middle East within a few days and might later dispatch it to Iran itself, if necessary, to protect British lives there.

He said the Government would impose “high” duties on the Company’s imports and exports. … If British oil experts refuse to remain in their posts after the nationalisation, Makki said, technicians would be employed from an “impartial bloc excluding the British, Americans and Russians”, Italians, Swedes, Swiss and other foreign experts would be engaged while Iranians are trained abroad he said. — News agencies

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2026