Iran defiant on eve of Trump’s ceasefire deadline
Iran and Israel have exchanged attacks as Tehran refuses to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept a ceasefire agreement on the eve of a deadline set by US President Donald Trump to accept its demands or “exit”.
But in a possible sign of progress, Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan said Islamabad’s “productive” efforts to broker an end to the war were “approaching a critical and sensitive stage.”
Iran has rejected a US proposal brokered by Pakistan for an immediate ceasefire and lifting of the effective blockade of the strait, followed by talks on a broader peace deal within 15 to 20 days, according to a source familiar with the plan.
Iran’s response consisted of 10 points, including an end to conflicts in the region, a protocol for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the removal of sanctions and reconstruction, IRNA news agency reported.
“The whole country could be taken out in one night, and that night could be tomorrow night,” Trump said on Monday.
He promised to destroy Iran’s power plants and infrastructure if Tehran rejects the deal before the deadline.
Trump said that without a deal, “all the bridges in Iran will be destroyed” and “all the power plants in Iran will go bankrupt, burn, explode and never be used again” by midnight EDT (2pm AEST) on Wednesday.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Israeli military said it had completed a wave of airstrikes targeting Iranian government infrastructure in Tehran and other areas.
It was operating air defense systems to block missiles launched from Iran.
Israel also issued an advisory urging Iranians to avoid trains and stay away from railways until Tuesday evening.
The defense ministry said it intercepted ballistic missiles, with debris falling near energy facilities towards the eastern region of Saudi Arabia.
The kingdom has come under attack from hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones since the United States and Israel launched a war on Iran on Feb. 28, many of which have been captured, officials said.
Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates issued public safety alerts on Tuesday, while the bridge connecting Saudi Arabia to Bahrain was briefly closed following the warning alerts.
As civilian infrastructure across the region comes under attack, Trump ignored questions that his promise to destroy power plants in Iran would constitute a war crime, saying he was “not at all concerned” about the possibility.
“I hope I don’t have to do this,” he said.
Iran’s envoy to the United Nations said Monday that Trump’s threat to attack “is a direct incitement to terrorism and is clear evidence of his intent to commit war crimes under international law.”
Iranian Deputy Sports Minister Ali Reza Rahimi on Tuesday called on artists and athletes to form a human chain at power plants across the country.
“Joining hands, we will say: Attacking public infrastructure is a war crime.”
Oil prices were hovering around US$110 a barrel as Trump’s deadline loomed and there was little apparent hope of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil chokepoint that has raised inflation concerns around the world.
Iran has effectively closed Hormuz, which has proven to be a powerful bargaining chip for Tehran, which it is unwilling to give up.
Trump was on the brink of a political crisis as Iran proved to be a tougher foe than he had anticipated at the start of the conflict, which he said was aimed at stopping the country from producing nuclear weapons and developing missiles to deliver them.
With 13 US service members killed since the start of the conflict, it found itself on even more dangerous ground on Friday when a US F-15E fighter jet was shot down and one of the two airmen was stranded deep inside Iranian territory.
The rescue mission by US commandos to get the officer to safety helped prevent a catastrophic escalation of Trump’s political crisis over the war that has killed thousands of people in the Middle East.
