IRAN WARNS AGAINST ESCALATION AS TRUMP URGES ALLIES TO ESCORT SHIPS IN HORMUZ

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By ‘Sefiu Ajape

Iran on Sunday warned other countries against becoming involved in its ongoing war with the United States and Israel, after President Donald Trump urged world powers to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf.

Global energy prices have surged since Iran responded to the US-Israeli campaign by threatening shipping passing through the strategic waterway, which links major Gulf oil and gas exporters to global markets.

Trump on Saturday called on “China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK and others” to deploy ships to escort tankers, while saying the US military would continue striking drone, boat and missile launch sites in Iranian territory along the northern shore of the strait.

However, the countries mentioned have reacted cautiously to the proposal. Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, warned them during a call with his French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot, to “refrain from any action that could lead to escalation and expansion of the conflict”.

The UK Ministry of Defence also avoided committing to the plan.

“As we’ve said previously, we are currently discussing with our allies and partners a range of options to ensure the security of shipping in the region,” it said.

Britain’s Minister for Energy Security, Ed Miliband, told the BBC that the priority should be to reduce tensions.

“The plan now has to be to de-escalate the conflict… We are talking to our allies. There are different ways in which we can make maritime shipping possible.”

South Korea said it was “closely monitoring President Trump’s remarks on social media”, while Takayuki Kobayashi said the threshold for sending Japanese naval ships to the region under existing laws was “extremely high”.

Global oil prices have jumped by about 40 percent after Iran restricted traffic through the key maritime passage and carried out attacks on energy and shipping targets in neighbouring Gulf states. The strikes were in retaliation for the US and Israeli air campaign that killed Iran’s supreme leader and triggered the wider Middle East war.

As global markets struggle with the impact, Trump doubled down on his stance, telling NBC News in a weekend interview that Tehran appeared willing to negotiate but that the United States would continue its military pressure to secure better terms.

He also suggested the US might again strike targets at Iran’s oil hub, Kharg Island, saying it could happen “just for fun”.

“Iran wants to make a deal, and I don’t want to make it because the terms aren’t good enough yet,” Trump said.

Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, in a written statement vowed to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed.

Trump dismissed the claim and questioned whether his rival was even alive.

“I don’t know if he’s even alive. So far, nobody has been able to show him.”

Iranian officials insisted on Saturday that “there is no problem with the new supreme leader”, although he has yet to appear publicly.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced a fresh wave of strikes on targets in western Iran after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards labelled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a criminal and vowed to pursue and kill him.

Tehran cafes reopen

Despite escalating rhetoric, daily life in Tehran appeared to show signs of normality compared with the early days of the war that began on February 28.

Traffic increased across the capital, while some cafés and restaurants reopened.

In the Tajrish bazaar, a popular shopping hub in northern Tehran, more than a third of stalls resumed operations five days before Nowruz.

Some residents were seen withdrawing cash from ATMs after online services at Bank Melli had been disrupted in recent days.

Missile barrage

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia said separately on Sunday that they had intercepted new waves of projectiles after warning sirens sounded in Manama.

Authorities in Dubai also reported additional interceptions late Saturday after Iran warned UAE civilians to avoid port areas.

On Friday, US forces struck military targets on Kharg Island, from which nearly all of Iran’s oil exports originate.

Iran’s health ministry said more than 1,200 people have been killed by US and Israeli strikes, although the figures could not be independently verified.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said up to 3.2 million people have been displaced within Iran, with many fleeing Tehran and other major cities.

The United States Department of Defense said more than 15,000 targets in Iran have been struck by US and Israeli forces.

US media also reported that the Pentagon has deployed the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli along with around 2,500 Marines to the region.