‘We will completely close the Strait of Hormuz’: Iran responds to Trump’s 48-hour ultimatum

After Donald Trump threatened Tehran with 'obliterating' power plants and gave a deadline to Tehran over opening the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's military responded with a warning to completely close the vital waterway if the US military targets power infrastructure.

"If the United States' threats regarding Iran's power plants are carried out... the Strait of Hormuz will be completely closed, and it will not be reopened until our destroyed power plants are rebuilt," the military's operational command Khatam Al-Anbiya said in a statement carried by state TV.

Tehran's army added that it will also strike Israel's "power plants, energy, and information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure", along with power plants in regional countries hosting US bases and companies with US shareholders. It asserted that these measures will be taken "to defend our country and the interests of our nation".

The traffic through the vital Strait, which accounts for nearly 20 per cent of crude oil and liquefied natural gas, has been brought to a standstill since the start of the war.

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These statments follows US President Donald Trump’s latest 48-hour ultimatum to Iran, issued on Saturday, warning that the United States will "obliterate" Iran's power plants, starting with the largest first, if the Strait of Hormuz is not fully reopened.

Based on the timing of the post, the 48-hour window is set to expire late Monday night, as global oil prices surge due to the effective closure of the waterway.

"If Iran doesn't FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!" Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

The US President came under intense domestic and international pressure from rising energy prices, with crude oil trading above $100 a barrel since the start of the war on February 28. Confusing messaging from Donald Trump also added to market volatility, as he kept the US stance on the Strait of Hormuz unclear. Earlier, he had called for multilateral naval support from European allies to force open the vital waterway. However, after being snubbed by partners, he said Washington was not concerned, as it does not depend on the strait for its energy needs. On Saturday, he again shifted his position by issuing a deadline to Iran.

Meanwhile, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian echoed the military’s stance, saying, “The illusion of erasing Iran from the map shows desperation against the will of a history-making nation. Threats and terror only strengthen our unity,” in a social media post.

At the same time, he asserted that "The Strait of Hormuz is open to all except those who violate our soil."

The war, triggered by a joint US-Israeli bombing campaign targeting top Iranian leadership in an apparent attempt to spark regime change, and key strategic and military locations, entered its third week.

Despite the US and Israel killing its top leadership and targeting key infrastructure, Iran remains defiant. It has adopted a tit-for-tat strategy by attacking oil and energy facilities across Gulf nations and surprised the US by targeting the Diego Garcia military base, which is around 4,000 km away from Iran, showcasing Tehran's missile capabilities, which the US had claimed were significantly reduced in its strikes.

(Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.)