US President Donald Trump has threatened to destroy every bridge and power plant in Iran if Tehran does not accept a peace proposal. In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump accused the Iranian government of violating the current ceasefire agreement by firing on ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. "That wasn’t nice, was it?" he wrote, escalating rhetoric amid fragile diplomatic efforts.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ismaeil Baqaei, countered by calling the US naval blockade of Iranian ports a "violation" of the Pakistani-mediated ceasefire that paused over six weeks of fighting. In a statement on X, Baqaei cited a United Nations General Assembly resolution to argue that the blockade constitutes an "act of aggression" and, by deliberately inflicting collective punishment on the Iranian population, amounts to a war crime and crime against humanity. This exchange highlights the deepening mutual accusations between Washington and Tehran.
Negotiations are set to resume in Islamabad, Pakistan, with US envoys due to arrive on Monday evening. Trump announced the move but coupled it with further threats, stating, "We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!" The talks aim to extend a ceasefire scheduled to expire on Wednesday, though previous rounds have ended without agreement, with Iran's nuclear ambitions remaining a key sticking point.
Complicating the regional landscape, Yemen's Houthi rebels have threatened to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait off Yemen's coast. Senior Houthi official Hussein al-Ezzi declared in a post on X late Saturday, "If Sanaa decides to close the Bab al-Mandeb, then all of mankind and jinn will be too helpless to open it." This threat emerges as Iran reinforces its restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and mediators scramble to salvage the ceasefire. Analysts note that Iran can still harass global shipping using fast boats, drones, and missiles, despite US claims of crippling its navy.
In Israel, residents of Kiryat Shmona, the largest town on the northern border with Lebanon, went on strike to protest the ceasefire with Iran-backed Hezbollah. Mayor Avichai Stern condemned what he called a "dangerous ceasefire" that sacrifices the security of northern Israelis, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of allowing the truce to be imposed by the Trump administration. Many residents have left the area since the Gaza war began over two years ago, and those remaining express anger over what they see as a betrayal of promises for a decisive victory.
Source: www.dw.com