Iran on Sunday vowed to respond “in kind” to American attacks against its infrastructure, hours after US President , in an expletive-laden threat, vowed to unleash “Hell” on Tehran if the Strait of Hormuz was not opened by Tuesday.
“Our armed forces have made it clear that in case Iran’s infrastructure is attacked, we would react in kind,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told Al Jazeera via email.
“Our armed forces would target any similar infrastructure that is owned or in any way or manner related to the United States or contributes to their act of aggression against Iran,” he added.
Baghaei wasn’t the only Iranian official who hit out against Trump — the country’s Parliament Speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, also warned against “reckless” US action.
“Your reckless moves are dragging the United States into a living HELL for every single family, and our whole region is going to burn because you insist on following Netanyahu’s commands,” the Iranian legislator charged, adding, “Make no mistake: You won’t gain anything through war crimes.”
“The only real solution is respecting the rights of the Iranian people and ending this dangerous game,” Ghalibaf concluded.
Trump vows to blow up ‘everything’
Iran’s warnings came after Trump, during an interview with Axios, said, “There is a good chance, but if they don’t make a deal, I am blowing up everything over there.” However, the US President added that discussions were ongoing and there was still a possibility of a deal being reached before the deadline.
Prior to the interview, Trump issued a much more forceful threat on his Truth Social Platform.
“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F****n’ Strait, you crazy b******s, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah,” on Easter Sunday.
Shortly afterwards, the US President followed up with, “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!”
The tone of Trump’s warnings of Sunday seem to indicate that they could be the final extension given to Tehran.
Since the start of the war on 28 February, Trump has repeatedly threatened to attack Iran’s critical civilian and energy infrastructure, but has thus far refrained from doing so, citing ongoing negotiations.
Trump had earlier issued a 10-day ultimatum to Tehran, but in between, had an extension to a pause on strikes against Iran’s infrastructure until 6 April.
Prior to this, the US President had announced a delay in strikes against Iranian power plants for five days, citing ongoing engagements with Tehran.
