WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Monday to obliterate key Iranian energy infrastructure if a deal to end the conflict is not reached shortly and the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened, according to a social media post.
Trump wrote that “great progress has been made” in talks but warned that if a deal is not reached shortly, and if the strait is not immediately “Open for Business,” the United States would “conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!), which we have purposefully not yet ‘touched.’”
The post was made on Trump’s social media platform on Monday. Kharg Island serves as Iran’s main oil export terminal.
The threat came amid an ongoing conflict that began more than a month ago with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. Trump has repeatedly claimed progress toward a diplomatic resolution, while Iranian officials have denied that direct negotiations are taking place.
Details of any talks remained unclear. Iranian state media and officials have described U.S. proposals as unrealistic and said Tehran is preparing for possible further escalation.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical waterway through which a significant portion of global oil shipments pass. Disruptions there have contributed to volatility in energy markets.
White House officials did not immediately provide additional comment on the post or on the status of any negotiations. A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, has previously said the U.S. is focused on achieving a resolution that includes reopening the strait.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei has previously warned of consequences if the U.S. targets civilian infrastructure. No new statement from Iranian officials was immediately available in response to Monday’s post.
Trump has alternated between expressing optimism about a deal and issuing warnings of further military action. In recent weeks he has paused threats against Iranian energy sites on at least one occasion while citing ongoing discussions.
As of Tuesday, no new U.S. strikes on Iranian energy facilities had been reported. The situation in the region remained tense, with both sides continuing military posturing.
The U.S. has deployed additional troops to the Middle East in recent weeks, according to officials. Iranian forces have carried out retaliatory actions, including reported strikes on vessels in Gulf waters.
Further details on the timeline for any potential deal or additional U.S. actions were not immediately available.
