Tehran, March 22 : Iran has issued a stern warning to the United States, pledging to destroy critical energy infrastructure across the region in an "irreversible manner" in response to a 48-hour ultimatum from U.S. President Donald Trump over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated on social media that any attack on Iran’s power plants or infrastructure would prompt retaliatory strikes targeting regional energy and oil facilities.

"If Iran’s power plants and infrastructure are attacked, we will consider energy and oil facilities throughout the region legitimate targets and destroy them permanently," Ghalibaf declared. He further warned that such actions would lead to sustained high oil prices worldwide.

The warning follows a post by Trump on Truth Social, where he threatened Iran with severe consequences if it failed to fully reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. Trump stated that the U.S. would target and "obliterate" Iranian power plants, starting with the largest. "If Iran doesn’t fully open, without threat, the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, the U.S. will hit and obliterate their various power plants," he wrote.

In response to Trump’s remarks, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, warned that the energy infrastructure of countries hosting U.S. military bases, as well as Israel's power plants and ICT infrastructure, would become targets. Zolfaghari also indicated that companies in the region with American shareholders could face destruction, reinforcing Tehran's resolve to respond to threats.

Iran continues to assert that the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, open only to non-threatening traffic while ensuring its security and interests. Zolfaghari added, "We’ve always said that the Strait of Hormuz is closed only to the enemy and harmful traffic. It’s not fully closed yet, and passage continues under strict regulations."

The conflict escalated after the February 28 assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in U.S.-Israeli joint strikes. In retaliation, Iran has attacked U.S. and Israeli assets in Gulf countries, disrupting regional waterways and destabilizing global energy markets. As tensions rise, Iran has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, further complicating the region’s geopolitical dynamics.