Iran issued a stark warning on Sunday that it would retaliate against Gulf neighbors’ critical energy and water infrastructure if the United States follows through on President Donald Trump’s threat to strike Iranian power plants within 48 hours. The escalation marks a dangerous new phase in the three-week-old regional conflict that has already claimed over 2,000 lives and disrupted global energy markets.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf declared on social media platform X that “critical infrastructure and energy facilities in the Middle East could be irreversibly destroyed” should Iranian power plants come under attack. The warning came hours after Trump threatened to “obliterate” Iran’s power generation capabilities if Tehran doesn’t fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which approximately 20% of global oil passes.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards reinforced the threat, stating that the Strait of Hormuz “will be completely closed and will not be opened until our destroyed power plants are rebuilt.” This represents a significant hardening of Iran’s position, as the waterway’s closure has already triggered the worst oil crisis since the 1970s and sent European gas prices soaring by 35% last week.
Market analysts warn of severe repercussions when trading resumes Monday. “President Trump’s threat has now placed a 48-hour ticking time bomb of elevated uncertainty over markets,” said IG market analyst Tony Sycamore, predicting stock market declines. The crisis has already upended global markets, spiked fuel costs, and fueled inflation concerns worldwide.
The conflict’s human toll continues to mount, with air raid sirens sounding across Israel early Sunday following Iranian missile attacks that injured scores in southern Israeli towns. Israel responded with strikes on Tehran, while U.S. Marines and heavy landing craft deploy to the region, signaling potential escalation.
While attacks on electricity infrastructure would impact Iran, analysts note they could prove catastrophic for Gulf neighbors like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait, which consume approximately five times more power per capita. These nations rely on electricity not only for daily life but also for desalination plants that produce nearly all their drinking water.
Despite Iranian claims that the Strait remains open to neutral shipping, vessel tracking data reveals most commercial ships remain holed up inside the waterway, with only a handful of Indian-flagged vessels and a Pakistani oil tanker successfully negotiating passage after coordinating with Tehran.
The escalating conflict has exposed deep fractures in the postwar Western alliance and raised fears of prolonged regional instability. As the 48-hour deadline approaches, the international community watches anxiously, aware that strikes on civilian infrastructure could trigger humanitarian crises across the Gulf region.
Source: ARY News