Middle East war round-up

Trump threatens ‘hell’ for Iran over Hormuz Strait as deadline approaches

US President Donald Trump has threatened to attack civilian infrastructure inside Iran, including bridges and power plants, if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened by his stated deadline of today (6).

Trump made the threat in an expletive-laden social media post yesterday, in which he repeated previous threats to pummel vital infrastructure across Iran.

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F****** Strait, you crazy b*******, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

On 26 March, Trump set a 10-day deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for the global energy market, where traffic has ground to a halt since the US and Israel first attacked Iran on 28 February.

He told Fox News yesterday that Iran was currently negotiating with the US and that he believed the two could reach a deal before the deadline.

Iranian officials have slammed Trump’s threats and promised to retaliate for any attacks on their infrastructure. 

“Once again, the US President openly threatens to destroy infrastructure essential to civilian survival in Iran,” Iran’s Mission to the UN said in response to Trump’s threats. “The international community and all States have legal obligations to prevent such atrocious acts of war crimes. They must act now. Tomorrow is too late,” it added.

Iran urges world to prevent ‘atrocious acts’ after Trump threats

The Iranian Mission to the UN has condemned US President Donald Trump’s latest remarks, saying the US President is threatening “to destroy infrastructure essential to civilian survival” in the country.

“If the conscience of the United Nations were alive, it would not remain silent in the face of the overt and shameless threat by the war-mongering President of the United States to target civilian infrastructure. Trump seeks to drag the region into an endless war,” the mission said on ‘X.’

“This is direct and public incitement to terrorise civilians and clear evidence of intent to commit [a] war crime,” it said. “The international community and all States have legal obligations to prevent such atrocious acts of war crimes. They must act now. Tomorrow is too late.”

Iran demands war compensation to reopen Strait of Hormuz: Official

Iranian President’s Office Communications Deputy Seyyed Mehdi Tabatabaei has said Iran will open the Strait of Hormuz only after receiving compensation for war damages, paid via a “new legal regime” based on transit fees.

Tabatabaei also said in a social media post that US President Donal Trump, who yesterday threatened to attack Iran’s civil infrastructure over the Strait’s closure, had “resorted to obscenities and nonsense out of sheer desperation and anger.”

Amnesty Chief denounces ‘revolting’ Trump threats

Amnesty International Head Agnes Callamard denounced US President Donald Trump’s threats to destroy Iranian bridges and power plants, stressing that civilians “will be the first to suffer.”

“No heat, no electricity, no water, no capacity to move or to flee, and all that it means for their right to life,” Callamard wrote on ‘X.’

“A revolting statement,” she added of Trump’s social media post.

Qatari FM reaffirms need to stop ‘unjustified Iranian aggressions’

Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah have held talks on developments in the region, including recent Iranian attacks against Kuwaiti energy facilities.

Sheikh Mohammed expressed Qatar’s “full solidarity” with Kuwait after the attacks, as well as support for all measures the country takes “to preserve its sovereignty and security.”

The Qatari Foreign Minister also “affirmed the necessity of stopping the unjustified Iranian aggressions against Qatar and the countries of the region, warning in this context of the consequences of the irresponsible targeting of vital infrastructure, especially those related to water and food and energy facilities.”