As U.S. President Donald Trump’s deadline on opening the Strait of Hormuz approaches, Iran on Monday threatened to attack Middle East power plants supplying electricity to American military bases.
The statement from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard marks the latest attempt by Tehran to explain its actions toward Gulf Arab countries.
Iranian state television read the statement on air Monday morning.
“What we have done is to announce our decision that if power plants are attacked, Iran will retaliate by targeting the power plants of the occupying regime and those of regional countries that supply electricity to U.S. bases, as well as economic, industrial and energy infrastructure in which Americans have stakes,” the statement said, referring to Israel as an “occupying regime.”
It added: “Do not doubt that we will do this.”
Trump warned early Sunday that the United States will target Iranian power plants within 48 hours if the strait remains effectively closed due to Iranian attacks on shipping.