Donald Trump has warned Iran that it must reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday night or face the destruction of its power plants and bridges, in a social media post laced with expletives. The US president wrote on his Truth Social platform: 'Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP.'
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, responded with a warning that Trump’s 'reckless moves' would mean 'our whole region is going to burn'. He added: 'Make no mistake: You won’t gain anything through war crimes. The only real solution is respecting the rights of the Iranian people and ending this dangerous game.'
The latest threat of escalation in the five-week war follows the rescue of a second crew member of a downed F-15E fighter by US commandos, ending a two-day search after the warplane crashed in south-west Iran. Iran distributed images showing the wreckage of several aircraft but did not deny that US forces had rescued the officer.
Trump has extended deadlines at least twice for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has sent the price of oil shooting up. Crude oil prices opened higher on Monday, with West Texas Intermediate rising 1.86% to more than $112 a barrel and Brent climbing above $110.
Trump separately suggested there is a 'good chance' of an agreement with Iran on Monday, telling Fox News that negotiations were taking place. 'If they don’t make a deal and fast, I’m considering blowing everything up and taking over the oil,' he said. However, Iran has acknowledged that messages have been passed between the two sides but insists it has not entered into peace talks.
The destruction on Thursday of the region’s tallest bridge, hailed in Iran as an engineering marvel, pointed to a grim new phase of the war. Oona A Hathaway, a professor of international law at Yale University, said: 'If these threatened attacks were to be carried out, they would constitute war crimes. Immiserating the civilian population for bargaining leverage is not lawful.'
