By Ghazali Ibrahim
Iran has threatened to completely shut down the strategic Strait of Hormuz if the United States follows through on its warning to strike Iranian power plants.
The latest warning came on Sunday from Iran’s military leadership, which said the vital waterway would be “completely closed” should Washington act on its threat to target the country’s energy infrastructure.
The development follows a 48-hour ultimatum issued by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who warned that American forces would “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if Tehran failed to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz to global shipping.
In response, Iranian officials said any attack on their energy facilities would trigger a wider regional retaliation, including strikes on U.S.-linked infrastructure and energy installations across the Middle East.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage linking the Persian Gulf to global markets handles roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply, making any disruption a major threat to global energy security.
Tensions have been mounting since Iran moved to restrict shipping in the waterway amid ongoing hostilities involving the U.S. and its allies, with attacks on vessels and infrastructure already disrupting tanker traffic and pushing oil prices higher.
With both sides exchanging increasingly direct threats targeting critical infrastructure, fears are growing that the crisis could spiral into a broader regional confrontation with far-reaching economic and security consequences.
