US President Donald Trump has given Iran 48 hours to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the United States will strike major power facilities if the blockade continues. In a post on Truth Social early on March 22, Trump said Washington would target Iranian power stations, starting with the largest one, if shipping through the vital waterway is not restored without threats. Reports Dw.com.
Iran quickly responded with its own warning. The operational command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said that if Iran’s oil and energy infrastructure is attacked, then US facilities and allied regional sites linked to energy, information technology and desalination would become targets.
The latest exchange comes amid a wider military conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. According to the source, the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively blocked since the war began, disrupting a route that carries about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Attacks on oil sites and tankers in the Gulf have already pushed global energy prices higher.
Economic risks are also growing. The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas estimated that if the blockade lasts until the end of June, annualized global growth in the second quarter could fall by 2.9 percentage points. Analysts also warned that if the strait remains closed for three quarters this year, oil prices could rise to 132 dollars per barrel by year-end.
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