Iran warns of retaliatory strikes on regional facilities if power plants targeted
2026-03-22 - 10:30
Iran on Sunday threatened retaliatory strikes on US infrastructure, including energy facilities in the Gulf, if its power plants were targeted. On Saturday, US President Donald Trump threatened attacks on Iran’s power plants if the Strait of Hormuz was not opened within 48 hours. Iranian attacks have effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow corridor that carries around 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Its closure sent European gas prices surging as much as 35% last week. “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!”, Trump posted on X (former Twitter) on Saturday. Hours later, Iran’s representative to the UN maritime agency, Ali Mousavi, said the Hormuz remained open to all shipping except vessels linked to Iran’s enemies. Iran said if the US attacked Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure, Iran would target all US energy, information technology and desalination infrastructure in the region. Iran’s power grid is deeply intertwined with its energy sector. Striking major plants could trigger blackouts, crippling everything from pumps and refineries to export terminals and military command centres. Iran’s largest power plants include the Damavand facility near Tehran, the Kerman plant in the southeast and Ramin in Khuzestan province, all of which have much greater generation capacity than Iran’s sole nuclear plant at Bushehr on the southern coast. In case of US attacks as per the Trump ultimatum, Iran could target Gulf energy facilities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Such a scenario would prolong and aggravate into a broader regional crisis. Oil prices have already jumped and settled at their highest in nearly four years on Friday, after Iraq declared force majeure on all oilfields developed by foreign firms. Strait of Hormuz open to all but enemy-linked vessels: Iran