Iran has issued a stark warning to its Gulf neighbors, threatening to strike their energy and water infrastructure if the United States carries out President Donald Trump’s threat to target Iran’s power plants. The ultimatum, issued Saturday, demands Iran fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours or face American retaliation.
Regional Crisis Deepens
The escalating threats come amid a three-week-old conflict that has already disrupted global markets and raised fears of a broader regional crisis. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards stated that any attack on its power plants would result in the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed indefinitely. The waterway, which handles a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, has been effectively shut down by Iranian strikes, causing the worst oil crisis since the 1970s.
'The Strait of Hormuz will be completely closed and will not be opened until our destroyed power plants are rebuilt,' the Guards said in a statement.
Impact on Gulf Neighbors
Iran’s Gulf neighbors, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait, rely heavily on desalination plants powered by electricity to produce drinking water. Any disruption to their energy grids could have catastrophic consequences for their populations. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that critical infrastructure across the Middle East could be "irreversibly destroyed" if the U.S. follows through on its threats.
Market Uncertainty
The 48-hour ultimatum has further rattled global markets, already strained by blocked shipping routes and rising fuel costs. Oil prices surged to their highest levels in nearly four years last week, while European gas prices jumped by 35%. Analysts predict continued market volatility as tensions escalate.
Ship-tracking data shows that some vessels, including Indian-flagged ships and a Pakistani oil tanker, have negotiated safe passage through the strait. However, the vast majority of ships remain stranded as Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military command headquarters vowed to retaliate against U.S. energy, IT, and desalination infrastructure in the region if attacked.