President Donald Trump stepped up his warnings against Iran on Monday. He said the United States would destroy the country’s power plants, oil wells and its key oil export hub Kharg Island if a peace deal is not reached and the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened right away.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that the US was in “serious discussions” with what he called a “new and more reasonable regime” in Iran. He said “great progress” had been made.
But his threat was clear. For the first time, he also added desalination plants to his list of possible targets. Legal experts said destroying civilian water supplies would count as collective punishment which is banned under international law.
Iran showed no sign of backing down. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters the demands in the US 15 point peace proposal were “excessive, unrealistic and unreasonable.”
Iranian officials also said no direct talks had taken place. They rejected claims that Pakistan was hosting formal negotiations between the two countries.
The conflict is now in its fifth week. It started with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February. Even with Trump’s repeated threats, Iran has kept firing missiles and drones across the region.
It has also kept the Strait of Hormuz mostly shut. About 20% of the world’s oil moves through that waterway.
The economic damage is spreading around the world. Brent crude rose above US$116 a barrel on Monday. The average US petrol price reached US$3.99 per gallon, the highest since 2022.
Iran put forward its own five point plan. It called for a full stop to all fighting, promises that there would be no future attacks, payment for war damages and recognition of Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran also said any ceasefire must cover all fronts, including Israeli operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
In a separate development, Spain said it had closed its airspace to US military planes taking part in operations against Iran. The move highlighted growing tensions between Washington and its allies over the conflict.
Trump’s deadline for Iran to meet his demands is 6 April. So far, neither side looks ready to give in first.
