Donald Trump has threatened to destroy Iran’s power stations and water plants if Tehran does not agree to peace terms “shortly”, even as he claimed diplomatic progress in ending the conflict instigated by the US and Israel. In a post on Truth Social, the US president said that if a deal was not reached—including reopening the Strait of Hormuz—US forces would target “all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!)”. Destroying civilian infrastructure would be illegal under international humanitarian law and could constitute a war crime, according to human rights groups.
The threats have sent oil prices on course for a record monthly rise, with markets rattled by the risk of further escalation, including a potential US ground operation to seize Iran’s Kharg Island oil terminal. Tehran has remained defiant, describing US peace proposals as “excessive, unrealistic and irrational” and continuing missile attacks on Israel. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, indicated Trump would be willing to ask Arab countries to help fund the war, a proposal that adds a new dimension to the conflict.
Human rights organisations have condemned Trump’s threats. Erika Guevara-Rosas of Amnesty International said: “Intentionally attacking civilian infrastructure such as power plants is generally prohibited… attacking them would be disproportionate and thus unlawful under international humanitarian law, and could amount to a war crime.” Meanwhile, international pressure is mounting: Spain closed its airspace to US planes involved in the conflict, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated “this is not our war”, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi urged Trump to end the war, saying “no one will be able to stop the war in our region… please, help us to stop the war”.
