Iran’s central military command on Saturday rejected US President Donald Trump’s threat to destroy the country’s vital infrastructure if it does not accept a peace deal within 48 hours.
In a statement from the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Iranian military General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi said Trump’s threat was “a helpless, nervous, unbalanced and stupid action”.
Echoing the religious language of Trump’s social media post, he warned that “the simple meaning of this message is that the gates of hell will open for you”.
What Donald Trump had said
This comes after Donald Trump on Saturday repeated his threats to intensify attacks on Iran if it failed to reach a deal or open the Strait of Hormuz strategic waterway.
“Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign (sic) down on them. Glory be to GOD!” he said in a post on Truth Social.
Israel also followed up on Trump’s ultimatum with a senior defence official saying that Tel Aviv was preparing to attack Iranian energy facilities, and was awaiting the green light from Washington. This seems to be an apparent move to heap further pressure on Tehran.
The timeframe for such attacks would be within the next week, the official told Reuters. Trump has previously threatened to hit Iranian power plants if his demands were not met.
Iran keeps the negotiation door open amid a defiant stance
Iran’s leadership has been defiant since the start of the war, although its foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, left the door open in principle for peace talks with the US via mediation from Pakistan. But he gave no sign of Tehran’s willingness to bow to Trump’s demands.
“We are deeply grateful to Pakistan for its efforts and have never refused to go to Islamabad. What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting END to the illegal war that is imposed on us,” Araghchi said on X.
The war has killed thousands, sparked an energy crisis and threatened lasting damage to the world economy. Iran has virtually shut the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas.
