IRAN WARNS OF FULL CLOSURE OF STRAIT OF HORMUZ IF U.S. TARGETS POWER PLANTS
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By: Muftau Fatimo
Iran’s military warned on Sunday that it would fully close the strategic Strait of Hormuz if U.S. President Donald Trump follows through on threats to target the country’s power plants.
Trump had given Iran 48 hours to reopen the strait, which has remained effectively closed since the conflict began on February 28, following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian territory.
The conflict has since escalated across the Middle East, with Iran launching drone and missile attacks on Israeli and U.S. interests in the region.
“If the United States carries out its threats against Iran’s power plants, the Strait of Hormuz will be completely closed and will remain so until our damaged power plants are restored,” the military’s operational command, Khatam Al-Anbiya, said in a statement broadcast on state television.
The military also warned that it could target Israel’s power plants, energy infrastructure, and information and communications technology (ICT) facilities, as well as power plants in neighboring countries hosting U.S. bases or companies with American shareholders.
“These actions are aimed at defending our country and protecting national interests,” the statement added.
Traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz responsible for roughly 20 percent of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments has nearly come to a halt since the outbreak of the conflict.
Only a small fraction of vessels, about five percent of pre-war levels according to analytics firm Kpler, have been able to transit the waterway. Iranian forces have attacked several ships, citing their failure to heed warnings against passage.
In recent days, Iran has permitted vessels from nations it considers friendly to pass while threatening to block ships from countries involved in what it describes as aggression against the country.
Meanwhile, the Iranian parliament is considering imposing shipping tolls on the strait. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that maritime traffic “will not return to its pre-war status.”
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