Tehran responded to threats and insults from Donald Trump on the 38th day of the war this Monday, April 6, promising “even more devastating” retaliation. The day before, the American president urged Iranians to open the “damn Strait of Hormuz,” calling them “a bunch of fools.”
Iran promised on Monday, April 6, even “more devastating” retaliation in case of further American-Israeli attacks on civilian infrastructure.
“If attacks on civilian targets continue, the next phases of our offensive and retaliatory operations will be much more devastating and extensive, and the losses and damages caused by maintaining this approach will be multiplied,” warned the spokesman for the Iranian military command in a statement.
Considering that they have hit the desired military targets, the American president now threatens to target Iran’s civilian infrastructure, such as bridges and power plants, if Iran does not fully reopen the passage in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial sea route for global oil supply.
“Our entire region will ‘burn’ because you insist on following the orders of (Benjamin) Netanyahu,” retorted Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament.
This warlike rhetoric increased investor concerns in the oil market after a three-day Easter break. Both the price of Brent and WTI barrels, the two main types of crude oil, were trading around the symbolic threshold of $110 per barrel on Monday.
These concerns were barely alleviated by the decision of Russia, Saudi Arabia, and six other OPEC+ members to increase their production quotas again starting in May.
Threats from Donald Trump
The conflict, triggered on February 28, shows no signs of de-escalation: strikes are happening day after day, and threats to bring “hell” to the other side continue.
“Open the damn Strait, you fools, or you will live in Hell – YOU WILL SEE!” wrote Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform, setting his ultimatum for “Tuesday 8:00 p.m.” Almost absent in his announcements, the American president planned a press conference – a format he is not accustomed to – at the White House on Monday at 1:00 p.m. Washington time (7:00 p.m. Paris time).
Donald Trump is expected to revisit the rescue operation in Iran of an American aviator, “seriously injured” according to him, while amidst threats, he still mentioned to American media of “good chances” of reaching an agreement with Tehran to cease hostilities.
Diplomatic efforts
Alongside the threats and attacks, diplomatic efforts continue: Oman, facing Iran across the Strait of Hormuz, discussed its reopening with Tehran, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke over the phone with his Pakistani and Egyptian counterparts, who play a mediation role.
However, the prospect of an agreement between Americans and Iranians, “at least under current conditions, is almost nonexistent,” estimated Danny Citrinowicz, a security analyst and former Israeli intelligence expert specializing in Iran. In Lebanon, another front paying a heavy price in the war, the pro-Iranian Hezbollah claimed new rocket firings from the other side of the border with Israel.
On Sunday, Israel continued to shell the southern suburbs of Beirut, considered a Hezbollah stronghold, with a strike near a hospital that killed at least five people and another killing three people to the east of the Lebanese capital.
In the early hours of the 38th day of the Middle East war this Monday, Tehran targeted Israel, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates with its missiles and drones. The Israeli army, on its part, announced a new series of strikes against Tehran.
