Trump warns that the United States does not need the Strait of Hormuz, Iran attacks a ship, just bomb a bridge or power plant. Iran warns of retaliation against American interests and says "no one should even think about selling oil".

The conflict between the US and Iran is further escalating along the path of "attacking ships - targeting infrastructure - retaliating against US interests - threatening oil supply". According to Xinhua News Agency, US President Trump said on Wednesday, the 22nd, that from now on, every time Iran fires at ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the US will bomb and destroy a bridge or power plant in Iran. Subsequently, during the midday break of US stocks on Wednesday, Trump threatened again, saying that the US is victorious in Iran, and the US does not need the Strait of Hormuz and cooperation with Venezuela to produce oil. The Iranian military responded strongly to Trump's threats, stating that if the US strikes Iranian bridges or power plants, Iran will retaliate by striking energy and other infrastructure in that region associated with US interests. On the same day, US Secretary of State Pompeo stated that the US is still willing to negotiate with Iran, but if Iran continues to threaten the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, US military action will continue. Iran emphasized that it has the ability to strike any target it wants to, and stated that it will not allow the Strait of Hormuz to become a threat to Iran again. Iran's parliament speaker, Kalibaf, issued a more market-impacting warning: either everyone can sell oil, or no one can. With Trump extending the targets of attack from military facilities to bridges, power plants, and other infrastructure, the retaliatory logic of the US-Iran conflict is clearly escalating. Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mutaki also stated that Iran has the ability to seize US military bases in Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and warned Ukraine not to provide drones to Middle Eastern countries and the US, otherwise Ukrainian military installations and President Zelensky's residence may become "legitimate targets". Trump warns Iran not to fire at ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the US may strike Tehran Trump tweeted on social media on the 22nd, stating that if Iran fires at ships in the Strait of Hormuz, whether using missiles, rockets, drones, or other weapons, the US will "bomb and destroy a bridge or power plant". Trump specifically emphasized that the targeted facilities may be located in Tehran or its vicinity. This statement indicates that the US's previous threats of attacks on Iranian military targets and related facilities are further expanding to transportation and energy infrastructure. Trump's threat came at a time when the US Central Command had just completed a new round of strikes on Iranian military targets, and US military operations against Iran had been ongoing for several nights. The US has stated that these military operations are aimed at weakening Iran's threat to commercial shipping and its ability to control the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz has become the central trigger point of the current US-Iran conflict. The US insists that Iran cannot restrict international commercial shipping through force, threats, or tolls; Iran, on the other hand, emphasizes that the security of the Strait of Hormuz must be led by Iran and demands that passing ships coordinate with and accept arrangements from the Iranian side. Iranian Military: Iran has "iron will" to control the strait A source from the Iranian military stated on the 22nd, as reported by the Iranian Tasnim News Agency via Xinhua News Agency, that if the US strikes Iranian bridges or power plants, Iran will retaliate by striking energy and other infrastructure in the region associated with the US. The source stated that the US should have already realized over the past 10 days that Iran has the capability to strike any target it wants to. Iran also stated that it has the "iron will" to control the issue of the Strait of Hormuz and will not allow it to once again become a tool of threat to Iran. The Iranian military stated that passing ships can safely transit the Strait of Hormuz if they coordinate with the Iranian side and abide by the related arrangements; otherwise, Iran will "resolutely exercise its control over the strait". This means that Trump's threat of "equal retaliation" has already been swiftly countered by Iran. If the US strikes Iranian bridges and power plants, Iran may target US energy, military logistics, and other related facilities in the Middle East. As both sides continuously expand the potential targets for strikes, there is a risk that the conflict could spread beyond the security of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to the entire infrastructure network in the Gulf region. Iran Parliament Speaker: If Iran can't sell oil, no one else can either Compared to the Iranian military's threats against US infrastructure, the recent statement from Iran's parliament speaker, Kalibaf, has directly pointed to the risk of escalating the conflict to the global oil supply. According to reports, Kalibaf stated on social media on the 22nd: "The logic of this war is clear, either everyone can sell oil, or no one can. If we cannot sell oil in our region, other countries also cannot." Kalibaf also mentioned that if Iran's security is not guaranteed, no infrastructure would be safe. He also stressed that the security of the Strait of Hormuz depends on the non-deployment of US troops in the region, and reiterated that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will not return to the pre-war state. "Selling oil in the region" will not return to the pre-war state, which implies that the signal released by Iran is not just a short-term military threat. From Iran's perspective, even if the current military conflict eventually simmers down, the rules of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, military presence, and energy transport patterns may undergo long-term changes. Pompeo: US is still willing to negotiate but violations have consequences Simultaneously with Trump's strong threats, US Secretary of State Pompeo, while attending ASEAN-related meetings in the Philippines on the 22nd, stated that the US is still willing to negotiate with Iran, but it is conditional on Iran fulfilling its promises. Pompeo warned that if Iran continues to threaten the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the US will continue its military actions. "We are willing to negotiate, but if Iran continues to violate its commitments, there will be consequences," Pompeo said. Pompeo also stated that some countries have expressed interest in participating in protecting commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, but due to domestic legislative procedures or authorization from international organizations, they have not formally joined the action. He said that the US does not need these countries to participate, but believes their involvement would be beneficial, especially since some countries have special capabilities such as mine-sweeping. Pompeo also emphasized that a significant amount of oil and energy transported through the Strait of Hormuz eventually flows to Asia, so Asian countries also have their own interests in maintaining maritime safety. Regarding China, Pompeo stated that China openly opposes imposing tolls on commercial shipping or limiting freedom of navigation, a stance that is "important." He did not directly respond to reports of Russia and other countries possibly providing target information to Iran. It is worth noting that Pompeo also accused Iran of sending Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps troops to Yemen, and stated that Iran's actions there have fueled a new rounds of conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi armed forces. This indicates that, in the US view, Iran's actions in the Strait of Hormuz and the Houthi armed forces' actions in the Red Sea are forming a broader regional pressure. Former Iranian Foreign Minister: Iran has the ability to seize US military bases in the Gulf region The strong statements from Iran are not just limited to the Strait of Hormuz. According to CCTV, former Iranian Foreign Minister and current Iranian Islamic Council member Mutaki recently responded to US threats of ground operations against Iran by stating that Iran has ground combat capabilities and the ability to seize US military bases in Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and other countries. Mutaki also stated that the populations in these areas may support the actions of the Iranian military. If this threat further translates into actual military actions, it would mean that the risk of the US-Iran conflict could escalate from airstrikes, missiles, and drone warfare to direct ground threats against US military bases in the Middle East. Currently, the US has a significant military presence in the Gulf region, and military facilities in Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and other Gulf countries form an important logistical and command network for the US military in the Middle East. Iran has previously demonstrated its capability to strike US military facilities using missiles and drones. Iran warns Ukraine: Providing drones may make facilities a target for attack Mutaki also issued a warning to Ukraine. According to CCTV, he stated that Ukraine should not continue to provide drones to Middle Eastern countries and the US, otherwise Ukrainian military facilities and President Zelensky's residence may become "legitimate targets". This statement further expands the geographical scope of Iran's public threats. From Iran's perspective, any country that provides military support to the US and its allies may be included in potential strike targets. This also reflects Iran's attempt to deter more countries from directly or indirectly participating in US military actions in the Middle East. However, Mutaki's statements are the public opinions of a former Iranian Foreign Minister and current member of the Iranian Parliament, not equivalent to Iran's formal military decision. The most critical aspect to watch for is whether these threats will be further incorporated into Iran's official military and diplomatic policy. Prospects for US-Iran negotiations continue to be hampered, the Strait of Hormuz becomes the "trigger" for conflict escalation While military threats continue to escalate, the diplomatic space between the US and Iran is narrowing. Trump had previously stated that Iran was "eager for talks", but the US is not interested in negotiations until Iran is ready for "meaningful talks". Pompeo continued to emphasize on the 22nd that the US has not closed the door to negotiations, but US military actions will not automatically stop because of Iran's negotiation overtures. The issue lies in the clear differences in understanding of the "negotiation prerequisites" between the US and Iran. The US demands that Iran stop threatening the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and accept the related arrangements proposed by the US; Iran, on the other hand, believes that US military strikes are the root cause of regional insecurity and insists on having dominance over the Strait of Hormuz. In this context, any ship attack in the Strait of Hormuz could trigger the infrastructure strikes that Trump has threatened; and any US strikes on Iranian bridges, power plants, and other facilities could lead to Iran retaliating against US and its regional allies' infrastructure. The US-Iran conflict is becoming a dangerous cycle of escalation: shipping conflicts triggering military strikes, military strikes expanding to infrastructure targets, and infrastructure strikes potentially leading to broader regional retaliation. For the energy market, the ongoing escalation of risks in the Strait of Hormuz also means that the global oil and natural gas supply chain will continue to face significant uncertainty. If the strait transitions from being "hampered shipping" to large-scale military confrontation, the impact will extend far beyond US-Iran bilateral relations and could rapidly spread to global energy prices, inflation expectations, and financial markets. Original article source: Wall Street View. Editorial by GMTEight: Jiang Yuanhua.