Iran Rebukes Trump Threats as Strait Crisis Jolts Global Trade
Tehran — Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to strike Iranian infrastructure, as tensions over the closure of the Strait of Hormuz intensified and raised concerns about global energy and trade flows.
Qalibaf described the threats as “reckless” in a social media post, saying Washington would gain nothing through escalation and urging respect for Iran’s rights. Iran’s mission to the United Nations said the warnings amounted to “a direct and public incitement to terrorize civilians,” calling on the international community to intervene.
The statements came as Iran has effectively halted cargo traffic through the Strait of Hormuz during the conflict, a critical chokepoint for global oil and gas shipments. The disruption has contributed to rising energy prices and heightened volatility in international markets.
Russia also criticized Washington’s stance, urging a return to negotiations. The Russian foreign ministry, citing a call between Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart, said the United States should abandon “the language of ultimatums.”
Iranian officials signaled the crisis could widen beyond the Gulf. Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, warned that allied groups could target the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, a route that typically handles around 12 percent of global trade.
Iran leads a network of allied groups across the region, including in Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen, where Houthi forces have previously attacked shipping lanes.Tehran has also introduced conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Presidential spokesperson Seyyed Mohammad Mehdi Tabatabaei said transit could resume only if a portion of revenues is allocated to compensate Iran for war-related damages.Trump has said the United States would strike Iranian power plants and bridges if the strait is not reopened, setting a deadline that further escalated tensions.
In remarks reported over the weekend, he reiterated the threat of military action if maritime traffic remains blocked.Iran’s culture minister Sayed Reza Salihi-Amiri dismissed the warnings, describing Trump as inconsistent and saying Iranian society does not take his statements seriously.
The standoff underscores the strategic importance of maritime chokepoints in the Middle East and the potential for disruption to ripple through global energy markets and trade networks.
