U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday issued a clear threat to destroy Iran’s energy infrastructure if it didn’t open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping within 48 hours, with the countdown starting “from this exact point in time,” presumably referring to the time the Truth Social message was posted—1:44 a.m. Eastern Time.
“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! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” the president posted.
Some 20% of the world’s oil and gas flows routinely through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has closed. It has also attacked oil and gas infrastructure in Gulf States, threatening to drive prices past $200 per barrel. Brent Crude currently hovers around $112.
Nearly two dozen nations, most of them European, said in a joint statement on Saturday that they are ready “to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage” through the strait.
“We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces,” read the statement, urging an “immediate comprehensive moratorium on attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations.”
The countries committed to helping the United States are: Australia, Bahrain, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, Slovenia, South Korea, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
It represents a shift from earlier in the week, after the president said on Tuesday that most NATO allies had turned down his request to help secure the strait.
Also in an effort to tamp down prices, the Trump administration announced last week that it had temporarily lifted sanctions on Iranian crude oil currently stranded at sea.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote on X on Friday that sanctioned Iranian oil “is being hoarded by China on the cheap. 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. In essence, we will be using the Iranian barrels against Tehran to keep the price down as we continue Operation Epic Fury.”
The short-term authorization is strictly limited to oil already in transit and does not allow new purchases or production. According to the Treasury Department, the permit applies to oil loaded onto ships by 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, and will remain in effect until April 19.
“Further, Iran will have difficulty accessing any revenue generated and the United States will continue to maintain maximum pressure on Iran and its ability to access the international financial system,” Bessent continued. “Any short-term disruption now will ultimately translate into longer-term economic gains for Americans—because there is no prosperity without security.”
The New York Times reported on Friday that Tehran has allowed some friendly countries, including China, India, Pakistan, Malaysia and Iraq, free passage through the Strait.
Iranian legislators are mulling a transit fee for any ship crossing the narrow sea passage, the Times reported, citing Iranian media.
Since the start of the war on Feb. 28, crossings through the Strait have plummeted from 130 vessels per day to three or four daily.
Some 2,000 ships and 20,000 seafarers are currently trapped in the area, the Times said.
