President Trump threatens Iran’s energy infrastructure if Strait of Hormuz remains closed
President Donald Trump has threatened to destroy Iranian power plants unless the vital Strait of Hormuz is opened.
President Donald Trump has extended a previously set Monday, March 23 deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Days after the Middle Eastern country threatened to retaliate with attacks on critical energy and water systems, President Trump announced in a social media post Monday morning that he had “good, productive conversations” with Iran over the weekend.
“I have directed the Department of the Army to postpone any military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days, conditional on the success of ongoing meetings and discussions,” he wrote around 7:23 a.m. ET.
Following President Trump’s announcement, Iran’s Tasnim news agency said the strait had not returned to pre-war conditions and the energy market remained unstable, adding that negotiations with the United States were not progressing, according to Reuters.
Tasnim added that under pressure from financial markets, the US president backed off attacks on Iran’s critical infrastructure and warned that Iran would continue to defend itself until it achieved deterrence.
What is the new deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to President Trump?
President Trump said the United States would “delay” any military strikes until Friday, March 27, as long as negotiations continue.
In a social media post, President Trump cited the “thorough, detailed and constructive dialogue” currently underway and said the postponement “is contingent on the success of ongoing meetings and discussions.”
These talks are moving toward “a complete and complete resolution of hostilities in the Middle East,” the poster said.
The waterway became a focal point of the conflict after Iranian attacks effectively blocked the strait, which carries about 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas.
Contributor: Reuters; Thao Nguyen, James Powell, USA TODAY
