Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated Tehran’s stance on the Strait of Hormuz and said that the critical route is open to everyone, except those who ‘violate’ their ‘soil.’ This comes following United States President Donald Trump’s 48-hour ultimatum to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Pezeshkian said, “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. The Strait of Hormuz is open to all except those who violate our soil. We firmly confront delirious threats on the battlefield.”
Earlier, Iran’s representative to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) clarified that foreign vessels may continue to navigate the Strait of Hormuz, provided they coordinate with the Iranian government for security and safety arrangements.
According to ANI, Al Jazeera reported, citing the Mehr news agency, Ali Mousavi stated that such cooperation is essential for maintaining stability in the strategic waterway.
Meanwhile, Iran also issued a stringent warning to the US, threatening to target critical energy infrastructure across the region in an “irreversible manner.”
In a post on X, the speaker of Iran’s Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated that any attack on Iranian power plants or infrastructure would prompt retaliatory strikes on regional energy facilities.
“Immediately after the power plants and infrastructure in our country are targeted, the critical infrastructure, energy infrastructure, and oil facilities throughout the region will be considered legitimate targets and will be destroyed in an irreversible manner, and the price of oil will remain high for a long time,” Ghalibaf stated in his post.
His remarks come after Trump warned Iran of severe consequences if it fails to reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy transit route.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that if Iran does not “fully open” the Strait within 48 hours, the United States would target and “obliterate” Iranian power plants.
“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!” the post read.
Middle East tensions
These developments come amid the escalating conflict that began on February 28 with the killing of 86-year-old Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel.
Following this, Iran, in retaliation, targeted Israel and US assets in several Gulf countries, causing disruption in the waterways and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability.
