- By Shubham Bajpai
- Sun, 22 Mar 2026 11:30 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) on Sunday warned the United States to completely shut down the Strait of Hormuz if it executes President Donald Trump's warning to obliterate Iranian power plants after 48-hours.
In an official statement, the IRGC said that it will completely shut the Strait of Hormuz and destroy companies with US shares if Iranian energy infrastructure comes under attack.
"If Trump Executes Threats To Target Iran's Energy Facilities, Energy Facilities In Countries That Host US Bases Will Be 'Lawful' Targets," the IRGC further stated.
Trump's deadline to Iran with 'obliterate' threat
The IRGC statement was in response to Trump's 48-hour deadline, seeking the opening of the strait. Trump, in a Truth Social post, had said, "If Iran doesn't fully open, without threat, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 hours from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various power plants, starting with the biggest one first!"
However, within hours of the deadline, Trump called for the 'death of Iran'. In another post, he lashed out at the Democratic Party, calling it the greatest enemy. He said, "Now with the death of Iran, the greatest enemy America has is the Radical Left, Highly Incompetent, Democrat Party!"
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The tensions in the Middle East are likely to rise further as the two sides remain locked in a war of nerves, with each side waiting to see who blinks first.
Iran says strait closed for 'enemy'
Apart from IRGC, Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Iran's permanent representative to the IMO, the UN’s maritime agency and ambassador to the UK, Ali Mousavi, too, reacted firmly to the US President's threats.
Mousavi said that the Strait remains open for all except the "enemy-linked" ships. "We are ready to cooperate with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to enhance maritime safety and protect seafarers in the Gulf. Ships not linked to Iran's 'enemies' can transit the strait by coordinating security and safety arrangements with Tehran," Mousavi was quoted as saying.
On the other hand, Ghalibaf said, "Immediately after the power plants and infrastructure in our country are targeted, the critical infrastructure, energy infrastructure, and oil facilities throughout the region will be considered legitimate targets and will be destroyed in an irreversible manner, and the price of oil will remain high for a long time. And throw down what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have made."
Iran levies $2 million fee for Hormuz transit
Regarding transit through the strait, Iranian MP and member of parliament's national security committee, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, on Sunday claimed that the country has charged some vessels with $2 million.
Calling it the start of a new approach to control the waterways, Boroujerdi said that the measure has already been implemented by Tehran, and it reflected a new "sovereign regime" in the strait after decades.
"Now, because war has costs, naturally we must do this and take transit fees from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz," adding the move shows Iran's "authority."