‘If Iran doesn’t open Strait of Hormuz within 48 hrs … ‘: Trump issues ultimatum to Iran

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Iran responded with its military, warning that any attack on its infrastructure would be met with retaliation. “Following previous warnings, if Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure is violated by the enemy, all energy, information technology, and desalination infrastructure belonging to the US and the regime in the region will be targeted,” the Khatam Al-Anbiya operational command said in a statement carried by Fars news agency.Trump is facing growing pressure as oil prices have risen sharply this month. Iran’s effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas passes, along with repeated attacks on energy facilities in the Middle East, has contributed to rising global fuel costs.Ships have been targeted in the Gulf since the war began, with Iran warning it will not allow “even a single litre of oil” bound for the US, Israel and their allies to pass through the Strait.A recent internal assessment by the US defence intelligence agency that was circulating in the Pentagon found that Iran could keep the Strait of Hormuz closed for anywhere from one to six months, according to CNN sources. Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations said last week that Tehran did not plan to close the Strait of Hormuz, appearing to strike a more measured tone after remarks by the country’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who suggested the strategic waterway could be used as leverage.Speaking to reporters at the UN on Thursday, Amir Saeid Iravani said Iran would not block the vital shipping route but stressed that the country had the right to ensure its security.