U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Monday that the United States would respond with far greater force if Iran attempted to stop oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil.
“If Iran does anything that stops the flow of oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America twenty times harder than they have been hit thus far,” Mr. Trump wrote on social media. He added that the United States could target sites in Iran that would make it “virtually impossible” for the country to rebuild, while warning that “death, fire, and fury will reign upon them.” He also said he hoped such a scenario would not occur.
The warning comes as tensions in the region enter their 11th day, following airstrikes by U.S. and Israeli forces against Iranian targets. According to United States Central Command, more than 5,000 Iranian targets have been hit since 28 February, and about 50 Iranian vessels have been destroyed or damaged. Iran has responded with roughly 1,600 drone and missile attacks, mostly aimed at Israel.
In response to President Trump’s statement, a spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the armed forces would “not allow the export of a single liter of oil from the region,” calling Trump’s comments “nonsense.”
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said that countries including China, Russia, and France had reached out about a possible ceasefire, but added that “no talks would hold while Iran was still under attack.”
So far, different world leaders have called for peace talks and a ceasefire. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to protest repeated airspace violations and stressed that “striking countries in the region benefits no one.” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, urging diplomatic engagement to avoid a wider conflict.
Meanwhile, oil prices have remained volatile. Brent crude fell from nearly $120 a barrel on Monday to $93.76 on Tuesday, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dropped to $90.96 per barrel after Mr. Trump predicted the conflict could end “very soon.”
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for global energy, and Iran has warned that any continued attacks by Washington or Israel could halt exports across the region.
