Trump's 48-Hour Ultimatum To Iran: Open Hormuz Or Face Power Plant Strikes; Tehran Threatens Attacks On Energy, IT, Desalination Infra
Within the space of a few hours, Trump sent mixed signals about the Iran war that raised more questions about the direction of the conflict.
Published : March 22, 2026 at 7:18 AM IST
|Updated : March 22, 2026 at 8:13 AM IST
New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Sunday warned Iran of obliterating its power plants if it fails to open the Strait of Hormuz in the next 48 hours.
In a message on Truth Social posted at 5.14 am (India time), Trump wrote, "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!"
Shortly after Trump's warning, Iran responded that it will target US and Israel‑linked energy and IT infrastructure, along with desalination plants in the region, if its power plants are hit.
"Following previous warnings, if Iran's fuel and energy infrastructure is violated by the enemy, all energy, information technology and desalination infrastructure belonging to the US and the regime in the region will be targeted," the Iranian military's operational command Khatam Al-Anbiya said in a statement carried by Fars news agency, reported AFP.
Trump And His Contradictions
Trump's latest message comes amid him frequently contradicting himself, sometimes in the same speech, social media post or even sentence. Within the space of a few hours on Friday, he sent a torrent of mixed signals about the Iran war that raised more questions about the direction of the conflict and his administration's strategy.
While Trump in another post said he was considering winding down the war, his administration confirmed it was sending more troops to the Middle East and, in an effort to lessen the economic impact on global energy markets, the United States lifted sanctions on some Iranian oil for the first time in decades — relieving some of the pressure that Washington traditionally has used as leverage.
The confusing combination of actions deepens a sense among Trump's critics that there is no clear, long-term strategy for the war the US and Israel launched against Iran. Now in its fourth week, the war remains on an unpredictable path and a credible endgame is unclear even as the global economy is being roiled.
After another rough day in the financial markets, Trump said Friday afternoon on his social media network: “We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East.”
Trump contended the US has adequately degraded Iranian naval, missile and industrial capacity and prevented Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
The Republican president then suggested the US could pull out of the conflict without stabilising the Strait of Hormuz, the channel through which about one-fifth of the world's oil supply travels. The Strait has been ravaged by Iranian missile, drone and mine attacks during the war.
“The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it — The United States does not!” Trump wrote. But, in another contradiction, he said the US would help if asked, “but it shouldn't be necessary once Iran's threat is eradicated.”
While oil that traverses the strait is usually bound for Asia and other places rather than North America, the chaos still affects the United States. Oil is bought and sold globally, so a shortage in oil for Asian countries leads to bidding up prices on oil sold to companies in America, too.
More US Military To Middle East
Even as Trump said the US was close to winding down the war, the administration announced it was sending three more warships to the Middle East with about 2,500 additional Marines. It was the second time in the week that the administration said it was deploying more forces to the conflict. The military says some 50,000 are supporting the war effort.
Trump has ruled out sending in ground troops, though his administration has hinted at a possible deployment of special forces or similar units. The Marines being sent to the region are an expeditionary unit designed for quick amphibious landings, but their deployment does not mean a ground invasion is certain. Analysts have suggested it may require the presence of US forces on the ground to ultimately secure the strait.
The surge in troops came just a day after news emerged that the Pentagon was seeking an additional $200 billion from Congress to fund the war. That extraordinarily high number does not suggest that the war was being wound down.
The administration said it would lift sanctions on the sale of Iranian oil, provided it was already at sea as of Friday. The move was an attempt to help lower skyrocketing energy prices by allowing freer sale of oil that Iran has let pass through the Strait. It also extends a financial lifeline to the Iranian government that Trump is targeting.
His administration has tried other methods to lower oil prices. It has tapped the US strategic petroleum reserve and lifted sanctions on some Russian oil. Yet Brent crude remained at $112 per barrel on Saturday, and analysts say oil prices are likely to remain high for months regardless of the next steps in the war.
The Iranian oil eventually would have reached another country, but now the United States and its allies can bid on it as well, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote on X.
“At present, sanctioned Iranian oil is being hoarded by China on the cheap,” Bessent wrote. “By temporarily unlocking this existing supply for the world, the United States will quickly bring approximately 140 million barrels of oil to global markets, expanding the amount of worldwide energy and helping to relieve the temporary pressures on supply caused by Iran.” (With AP inputs)
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