Iran warns of hits on energy, water sites after Trump threat
- Iran has warned of retaliatory attacks on regional infrastructure if US President Donald Trump follows through on his ultimatum over the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has said he will “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if it fails to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.
- Israeli forces attack the Qasmiyeh Bridge, a key crossing linking Lebanon’s south to the rest of the country, in an escalation that President Joseph Aoun called a “prelude to ground invasion”.
Iran has warned it could strike energy and infrastructure targets throughout the Middle East if the United States attacks Iranian power facilities, following a threat from President Donald Trump regarding the Strait of Hormuz.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, said Sunday that any strike on Iran’s power plants or critical infrastructure would trigger retaliation against vital infrastructure and oil and energy installations across the region. In a message posted on X, he said such facilities would immediately become legitimate targets and warned that any destruction would be irreversible.
Ghalibaf also cautioned that retaliation from Tehran would have long-term consequences for global energy markets, driving oil prices higher for an extended period.
His statement came after President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States would destroy Iran’s power plants if Tehran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.
Iran has effectively restricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz since the United States and Israel carried out attacks against Iranian territory on February 28. Iranian officials maintain the vital shipping lane remains open to most countries, but not to the United States or its allies.
The disruption of traffic through the strait — a narrow waterway that normally carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments — has contributed to the most severe global oil shock since the 1970s.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Sunday that the waterway remains open to all nations except those he accused of violating Iran’s territory. In a message on X, he said threats against Iran only strengthen national unity and called attempts to eliminate the country unrealistic.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also argued that the strait has not been formally closed. He said shipping companies have been reluctant to use the route because insurers fear the escalating conflict, which he blamed on actions taken by the United States and Israel.
Araghchi said no amount of additional threats would persuade insurers or Iran to change course.
Earlier, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned it would shut down the Strait of Hormuz entirely if the United States carries out strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure.
The IRGC also warned that companies connected to American interests could face destruction if Iranian energy sites are targeted. The group added that energy facilities in countries hosting U.S. military bases could also become legitimate targets.
Iran has already responded to the conflict with missile and drone strikes on Israel as well as on locations in Jordan, Iraq, and several Gulf states. Iranian officials say those attacks were aimed at U.S. military assets, but the strikes have caused casualties, infrastructure damage, and disruptions to global markets and air travel.
The latest exchange of threats suggests the Middle East conflict, now entering its fourth week, may be escalating further. The development came just a day after President Trump indicated he hoped the conflict might soon begin to wind down.
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged world leaders to support the U.S. and Israel in their military campaign against Iran. Speaking from the southern Israeli city of Arad, which was recently hit by an Iranian attack, Netanyahu said some nations were already moving toward greater involvement and called for broader international backing.
He accused Iran of deliberately targeting civilians and warned that the country has the ability to launch long-range strikes that could reach deep into Europe.
At the same time, diplomatic efforts are continuing. According to a Turkish diplomatic source, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held separate phone calls with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and U.S. officials to discuss possible steps toward ending the war.
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