Strait of Hormuz oil shipping: Middle East crisis: Donald Trump threatens to ‘blow up everything and take away the oil’ if Iran doesn’t deal
US President Donald Trump on Sunday issued one of his harshest warnings yet to Iran, saying he was considering “blowing up everything and seizing the oil” if Tehran failed to reach a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil shipping lane.Speaking to a Fox News reporter, Trump said, “I think there’s a good chance tomorrow, they’re negotiating right now. If they don’t make a deal quickly, I’m considering blowing up the whole thing and taking over the oil.”
Growing threats amid the Strait of Hormuz standoff
The president’s warning came as tensions soar in the Middle East following the war, which flared up following US-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, disrupting regional stability and global oil markets. Iran has largely blocked the Strait of Hormuz and launched attacks on Israel and Gulf neighbors, prompting urgent diplomacy.Trump, who previously celebrated the “miraculous” rescue of a seriously injured US airman from inside Iranian territory, has also threatened to attack Iran’s power plants and bridges if it does not comply. “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day and Bridge Day in Iran, all rolled into one. There will be nothing like it!!!” He announced this on his Truth social platform.“Open the damn strait, you fools, otherwise you’ll be in hell – just watch! Praise Allah”, he added.Meanwhile, Iran has claimed to have foiled the rescue effort, distributing photographs of the destroyed planes, although it has not denied that US forces successfully evacuated the airmen. US media reported that some transport aircraft involved in the operation were destroyed to prevent them from falling into Iranian hands.
Regional consequences and global concerns
The conflict has escalated beyond Iran and the US, with attacks on critical infrastructure reported in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait, while US diplomatic sites in Iraq have also been targeted. According to news agency AFP, Lebanon is increasingly turning towards itself, with Israel attacking southern Lebanon and southern Beirut, killing many civilians.An attack near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant last Saturday killed a guard and prompted Russia, which partly operates the facility, to evacuate 198 workers, condemning the attack as “an evil deed.” Iranian officials warned that further attacks could have radioactive fallout on Gulf capitals.Meanwhile, despite the threats and attacks, life in Tehran appeared largely normal, with residents seen picnicking and flying kites near iconic sites, highlighting the contrast between political tensions and daily life in the city.