Rabat – Iran has issued a sharp warning that it will completely shut the strategic Strait of Hormuz if US President Donald Trump carries out threats against its energy infrastructure.
The announcement raises the risk of a major confrontation in a region crucial to global oil supply.
Trump on Saturday threatened to “obliterate” Iranian power plants unless Tehran reopened the strait within 48 hours.
The threat contradicts his remarks just a day after he suggested the US might reduce its direct involvement in the war, now entering its fourth week.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards responded today with a statement warning that any attack on Iranian energy sites would trigger severe retaliation.
Companies with US investments could face “complete destruction,” and energy facilities in countries hosting US military bases could become legitimate targets if the US strikes Iranian infrastructure.
The Strait of Hormuz carries a significant share of the world’s oil trade. Any full closure could immediately disrupt global energy markets even further, push oil prices higher, and deepen instability across the Middle East.
Experts caution that the situation has reached a tipping point. The threats from both Washington and Tehran create a dangerous environment where a single miscalculation could escalate into a broader regional war, affecting energy security and international trade in totality.
The US-Iran standoff is already rattling global energy markets. The Strait of Hormuz handles about a fifth of the world’s oil, and even the threat of full closure has driven oil prices higher.