TEHRAN — Iran’s military warned on Sunday that it would completely seal off the Strait of Hormuz if the United States goes ahead with attacks on the country’s power plants, according to Hurriyet Daily News. The announcement came amid rising tension following President Donald Trump’s 48-hour ultimatum for Tehran to reopen the narrow waterway, a critical global oil route that has been largely shut since the war erupted on February 28.
The conflict began with U.S.-Israeli airstrikes against Iranian targets and has since spread across the Middle East. Iran has hit back with drone and missile strikes on Israel and U.S. military sites in the region, igniting fears of a wider war.
In a statement broadcast on state television, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Command Center declared, “If the United States’ threats regarding Iran’s power plants are carried out, the Strait of Hormuz will be completely closed and it will remain closed until our destroyed power plants are rebuilt.”
The military also threatened to strike energy and communications infrastructure in Israel and in neighboring countries that host U.S. forces or companies tied to American interests. Officials said such measures were meant “to defend our country and the interests of our nation.”
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow channel between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, is one of the world’s most vital trade routes. Nearly one-fifth of the global supply of crude oil and liquefied natural gas passes through its waters. Since the start of the conflict, shipping traffic has dropped to barely five percent of its normal levels, according to energy analytics firm Kpler. Iranian forces have attacked several vessels, accusing them of ignoring warnings.
Meanwhile, Iran’s parliament is debating new measures, including imposing tolls on ships passing through the strait. Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said maritime traffic “will not return to its pre-war status,” signaling that the crisis may reshape global energy routes for months to come.
