In a new escalation of tensions between Iran and the United States, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has threatened to destroy energy infrastructure throughout the Middle East if Washington attacks Iranian facilities. These threats followed U.S. President Donald Trump’s warning last Saturday night, highlighting that the United States would aim to destroy Iranian power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened to shipping within 48 hours.
Qalibaf, one of Iran's prominent political figures who has not come under attack from U.S. or Israeli forces, posted a message on the social media platform X, confirming that any attack on Iran's electrical capabilities would place all energy infrastructure in the region in the crosshairs. He noted that there would be long-lasting effects on oil prices, potentially leading to hikes in global markets.
This threat comes amid rising tensions in the Gulf region, where the Strait of Hormuz is a vital passage for global oil traffic, accounting for nearly 20% of the world's oil production. Recognizing the connection between these threats and fuel prices, Trump is striving to increase pressure on Iran, especially as the U.S. midterm elections approach.
The tension between Iran and the United States shifts the conflict into economic dimensions, with Tehran threatening to launch attacks on U.S. facilities in the region if the pressure on it continues. This escalation also coincides with statements from Iranian military officers, with Colonel Ibrahim Zolfaghari, spokesman for the military unit overseeing operations in the Revolutionary Guards, indicating that if Iranian facilities are attacked, Tehran will respond by targeting all Iranian infrastructure, including IT facilities.
This dispute reflects growing concerns about the developments in the region after mounting military pressures from the United States and Israel on Iran following an escalation of military actions against it since February. These ongoing military operations have led to an unprecedented rise in global fuel prices, prompting fears about the impact of these operations on stability in oil markets.
In recent days, there have been reports that Iranian units have launched limited attacks on fuel facilities in Gulf countries hosting U.S. military bases, such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, raising concerns about a broad conflict in the region.
This evident escalation suggests that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz could become a launch point for a wider conflict between regional powers. One of the worrying dimensions of these tensions is the potential shift of the war to other domains such as cyber-attacks or direct targeting of U.S. forces.
This situation necessitates reflections on how the Arab region can address the far-reaching consequences of such tensions, as the fear of a broad military conflict compels Arab states to seek ways to secure their economic and political interests. The linkage between regional rivalries and national security issues felt by all adds additional pressure on governments in the region to deal with this crisis.
In these circumstances, diplomatic efforts to find a detente between the United States and Iran are more crucial than ever, as the repercussions of any military escalation could be detrimental to both regional and global security.