Iran Warns of Complete Closure of Strait of Hormuz If US Targets Energy Plants

Kathmandu. Iran's military on Sunday warned that it would completely shut down the strategically important 'Strait of Hormuz' if US President Donald Trump targets the country's energy plants.

US President Trump had given Iran 48 hours to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, marking the start of the war on February 28.

Since then, this war has spread to the Middle East, with Iran responding with drone and missile attacks on Israeli and American interests in the region.

"If the United States threatens Iran's power plants," the military's Operational Command Khatam al-Anbiya stated in a release, "the Strait of Hormuz will be completely closed, and it will not reopen until our destroyed power generation plants are rebuilt."

The Iranian military also stated it would attack Israeli 'power plants', energy, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, as well as power plants in regional countries with American investment and companies with American shareholders.

The Iranian military said that other measures would be adopted "to protect our country and the interests of our nation." Traffic through this waterway, which accounts for 20 percent of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas, has been almost completely halted since the start of the war.

According to the analytics firm Kepler, a relatively small number of ships have been able to supply through it. This number is only about five percent compared to pre-war levels.

The Iranian military has attacked several ships and stated that it is impossible for ships to comply with the 'warning' not to cross the waterway.

In recent days, Iran has allowed some ships from countries it considers friendly to pass, while warning that it will stop ships from countries involved in 'aggression' against it.

Iran's parliament has also stated that it is planning to impose taxes on ships passing through the middle of the strait, following Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf's statement that maritime traffic 'will not return to pre-war conditions'.