Iran vowed on Sunday to respond “in kind” to US attacks on its infrastructure, hours after US President Donald Trump threatened to unleash “hell” on Tehran if the Strait of Hormuz was not opened by Tuesday.
“Our armed forces have made it clear that in the event of an attack on Iranian infrastructure, we would respond in kind,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told Al Jazeera in an email.
“Our armed forces will target any similar infrastructure that is owned by or in any way or manner related to the United States or contributes to its act of aggression against Iran,” he added.
Baghaei was not the only Iranian official to attack Trump — Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf also warned against the “reckless” American approach.
“Your reckless actions are dragging the United States into a living HELL for every single family and our entire region will burn because you insist on carrying out Netanyahu’s orders,” the Iranian lawmaker charged, adding: “Make no mistake: you gain nothing from war crimes.”
“The only real solution is to respect the rights of the Iranian people and end this dangerous game,” Ghalibaf concluded.
Trump vows to blow up ‘everything’
The Iranian warning came after Trump said during an interview with Axios: “There’s a good chance, but if they don’t agree, I’m going to blow everything up there.” However, the American president added that discussions are ongoing and there is still a possibility that the agreement will be concluded before the deadline.
Before the interview, Trump issued a much stronger threat on his Truth Social Platform.
“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day and Bridge Day all rolled into one in Iran. Nothing like it!!! Open the F****n’ Strait you crazy morons or live in hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah,” Trump wrote on Easter Sunday.
Shortly after, the US president followed up by saying, “Tuesday, 8:00 PM ET!”
The tone of Trump’s warnings on Sunday seemed to indicate that this could be the final extension given to Tehran.
Since the start of the war on February 28, Trump has repeatedly threatened to attack Iran’s critical civilian and energy infrastructure, but has so far refrained from doing so, citing ongoing negotiations.
Trump had previously issued a ten-day ultimatum to Tehran, but in the meantime extended a pause in strikes on Iranian infrastructure until April 6.
Earlier, the US president announced a five-day delay in strikes against Iran’s power plants, citing continued commitments to Tehran.
