Iran says oil blockade will continue until attacks end, Trump threatens to hit harder
Written by: Parisa Hafezi, Enas Alashray and Kanishka Singh
DUBAI/CAIRO/WASHINGTON, March 10 (Reuters) – Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said on Tuesday it would not allow “a liter of oil” to be sent from the Middle East if U.S. and Israeli attacks continue, prompting President Donald Trump to warn that the United States would hit Iran much harder if it blocks exports from the vital energy-producing region.
Trump’s comments came after global financial markets were rocked on Monday over concerns that Iran’s security establishment is rallying behind new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and is not ready to back down anytime soon.
Trump said the United States had inflicted significant damage on Iran’s military and predicted the conflict would end well before his initial four-week time frame, but he did not define what victory would look like.
Israel says its war aim is to overthrow Iran’s religious system of government. U.S. officials mostly say Washington’s goal is to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities and nuclear program, but Trump has said the war can only end with a compliant Iranian government.
At least 1,332 Iranian civilians have been killed and thousands injured since the United States and Israel launched air and missile strikes on Iran in late February, according to Iran’s ambassador to the UN.
Trump warned that US attacks could escalate sharply if Iran tries to disrupt tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, which supplies one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.
“We’re going to hit them so hard that neither they nor anyone else will be able to help save this part of the world,” Trump said at a news conference Monday.
IRAN SAID IT WILL DETERMINE THE END OF THE WAR
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it would not allow any oil to leave the region if attacks from the United States and Israel continue.
“We are the ones who will determine the end of the war,” a spokesman said, according to state media.
In a later Truth Social post, Trump repeated his warning.
“If Iran does anything to stop the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, it will be hit 20 TIMES harder than it has ever been hit by the United States,” he said.
The war has already effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, with tankers unable to sail for more than a week and producers being forced to stop pumping as storage facilities fill up.
Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment on Monday appeared to dash hopes for a quick end to the war, sending oil markets soaring and stock markets plunging; then swung in the other direction when Trump predicted a quick end to the war and there were reports of a possible easing of sanctions on Russian energy.
After meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump said the United States would waive oil-related sanctions on “some countries” to alleviate oil shortages. This could mean further easing of sanctions on Russian oil, which could complicate efforts to punish Moscow for its war in Ukraine, according to multiple sources. Other options include releasing oil from strategic reserves or restricting U.S. exports, the sources said.
Brent crude futures fell more than 10% on Tuesday after rising as much as 29% on Monday, reaching the highest level since 2022. Global stock markets also recovered.
The price of gasoline has particular political resonance in the United States, where voters have cited rising costs as a top concern ahead of November midterm elections in which Trump’s Republicans will try to retain control of Congress.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday found that 67 percent of Americans expect gas prices to rise in the coming months and only 29 percent approve of war.
SHOT AT OIL REFINERY
Tehran was engulfed in black smoke after an oil refinery was hit and there was an increase in attacks on Iran’s domestic energy resources. Tedros Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, warned that the fire risked contaminating food, water and air.
Turkey said NATO air defenses shot down a ballistic missile fired from Iran that entered Turkish airspace, marking the second incident in the war. Iran did not immediately comment on the report.
The Israeli army said it launched new attacks in central Iran and hit Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, where Israel expanded its operation after Iran-backed Hezbollah militias opened fire from the border.
Five Iranian women’s football team players who sought asylum out of fear of persecution in their home country have been granted humanitarian visas in Australia. Canberra has also pledged to send military surveillance planes to the Middle East and missiles to the United Arab Emirates to help them defend against attacks from Iran.
(Reporting by Reuters bureaus, Writing by Lincoln Feast; Editing by Michael Perry)
