TEHRAN.- Iran warned this Tuesday that its response will go beyond the region if the United States “crosses red lines.” He also threatened to depriving American allies of oil and gas “for years” hours before it expires Donald Trump’s ultimatumwho said he will destroy the country’s civil infrastructure if there is no agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuzvital for the world’s crude oil supply.
“Self-containment is over. Our response will be carried out without any consideration, depriving the United States and its allies of oil and gas for years,” The Revolutionary Guard stated in a statement released by local media.
And he continued: “If the US military crosses the red lines, our response will exceed the limits of the region.”
The threat from Iran comes after the Republican president warned yesterday that “the entire country could be destroyed in a single night.” and said he was willing to attack Iran’s power plants and bridges. Previously, it had set a deadline of 48 hours to reopen the strait, which expires tonight at 9 p.m. (Argentine time).
“We have a plan, thanks to the power of our Armed Forces, by which every bridge in Iran would be destroyed by 12 midnight this Tuesdaya plan in which every power plant in Iran would be out of serviceburning, exploding and with no possibility of ever being used again. I mean total demolition by 12 o’clock; and this would happen in the course of four hours, if we wanted it so. “We don’t want that to happen.”he said, and again maintained that negotiations are ongoing.
“We are getting help from some incredible countries who want this to end because it affects them too. After 8 pm tomorrow, they will be left without bridges, without power plants. They will return to the Stone Age“, he pointed out.
Within hours of the deadline set by the Republican president, a new wave of attacks shook Iran, including in residential areas of Tehran, causing the death of almost three dozen people.
Iranian media reported this Tuesday attacks against the island of Kharg, a nerve center from which most of the country’s oil is exported.
“The American-Zionist enemy carried out several attacks on the island of Kharg, and several explosions were heard there,” said the Mehr press agency. According to a message published in Washington hit “military targets.”
For its part, Iran also attacked Israel and Saudi Arabia, causing the temporary closure of an important bridge.
Tehran and its surroundings were shaken in recent hours by new explosions and at least 18 people, including two children, died in attacks in the province of Alborz, neighboring the capital. “The death of 18 of our fellow citizens has been confirmed, including two small children,” the Mizan and Fars news agencies reported.
The Israeli army had announced a “wave” of attacks to “damage” infrastructure in the capital and other regions.
He also urged Iranians not to travel by train until 9 p.m. local time, presaging attacks on the rail network.
In full escalation, Trump once again reinforced his warnings to the regime. “Tonight an entire civilization will die, never to return. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” the US president attacked.
“However, now that we have a total regime change, where different, more intelligent and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something wonderful revolutionary can happen, who knows?”, he later noted.
“We will find out tonight, in one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the world. 47 years of extortion, corruption and death will come to an end. God bless the great people of Iran!” Trump concluded, less than 12 hours before the deadline to negotiate a ceasefire.
Prior to the ultimatum, Iran had already rejected a ceasefire proposal. In recent days, the Iranian armed forces questioned Washington’s “arrogant rhetoric” and assured, through a spokesperson, that these types of statements by the American leader “have no effect” on their operations.
Far from seeing a de-escalation in the conflict, the US allies continue to push for a last-minute deal with Iran for a 45-day ceasefire. Meanwhile, the global markets remain in suspense given the uncertainty of whether a decisive advance can be achieved to put the end of the war in the Middle East on track, which is already going through its day 39.
The regime led by the Ayatollah Mojtaba Khameneithe country’s supreme leader, sent a proposal to end the war to Pakistana country that mediates between Tehran and Washington, according to the state news agency IRNA reported on Monday. The proposal consists of 10 clauses and advocates a “permanent end to the war, consistent with Iran’s considerations.”
This Tuesday morning, North Sea Brent for delivery in June was trading at $108.17, while WTI for May fell 0.56%, to $111.78.
The two main contracts, the American West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and the North Sea Brent, traded higher and remained above the barrier of $110 a barrel.
WTI rose 2.6% to $115.34, its highest level in a month, while Brent rose 1.3% to $111.24.
Meanwhile, stock markets in Asia and Oceania operated mixed, with declines in Tokyo, Singapore, Manila and Jakarta.
On the contrary, those in Shanghai, Sydney, Seoul, Wellington and Taipei rose following the positive trend on Wall Street, which began the week on the rise due to the hope of a ceasefire in the Middle East.
With information from AFP and AP
