The deadline set by United States President Donald Trump for Iran to reach a deal and open the Strait of Hormuz — or be heavily bombed and face “hell” — is approaching.
Trump defined 8pm (US Eastern Time), 9pm in Brasília, this Tuesday (7) (3:30am on Wednesday (8), Tehran time) as the .
However, he has made similar ultimatums on several occasions in recent weeks, postponing the deadline each time. And the threat is highly controversial, with many pointing out that attacking civilian infrastructure constitutes a war crime.
Understand the current scenario.
Remember what Trump said
The president set the deadline in a post on the Truth Social network on Sunday (5), after releasing an expletive-filled message, renewing threats to bomb important Iranian infrastructure if Tehran does not open the – a crucial chokepoint in global energy trade.
Speaking again on Monday (6), Trump stated that the US has a plan under which all buildings could be destroyed by midnight this Tuesday. “I mean, complete demolition by midnight,” the American leader said.
He has previously threatened to target other Iranian infrastructure, including oil wells and water desalination plants.
Iran’s response
So far, Tehran has responded publicly with defiance, with a military commander calling them “delusional” on Tuesday.
“If attacks against non-civilian targets are repeated, our retaliatory response will be much more energetic and on a much larger scale,” warned Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesman for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, used by the Iranian armed forces.
On Monday, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman urged Americans to hold their government accountable for what it described as an “unjust and aggressive war” against Iran.
Would Trump’s threat be a war crime?
Attacking critical civilian infrastructure could be considered a war crime. Objects essential to the survival of a population – including water treatment plants – are prohibited as military targets under the Geneva Conventions.
The infrastructure could be considered a valid target if it had dual use by Iran’s military. But Trump threatened not only to blow up some of Iran’s power plants; he threatened to blow them all up.
“There are many former military lawyers and legal scholars who have been hesitant to assert that any bombing of civilian infrastructure constitutes a war crime because there are cases in which it is permissible. But the president’s rhetoric this weekend, for me and I believe many others, has changed our mind on that,” said Margaret Donovan, a former U.S. Army Legal Corps attorney.
“We are basically witnessing a direct threat to something that we know will be catastrophic for civilians.”
Several countries have contacted the Trump administration privately to warn them about such attacks, but most have so far avoided publicly reprimanding the American president.
Among them are some Gulf nations who now fear Iran could attack their civilian infrastructure in retaliation, according to regional sources.
The Trump administration has played down those concerns, with the White House saying last week that the U.S. would “always” follow international law.
Asked about the matter on Monday (6), Trump said he was not concerned and that the real war crime was “allowing Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
Tehran has already accused the United States and Israel of attacking civilian infrastructure, with the bombing of the important B1 bridge, on the outskirts of the Iranian capital, on Friday (3), and the bridge, in Iran, being hit by projectiles several times in recent weeks.
How are the negotiations going?
Trump said Monday that Iran is one for a possible end to the war and that talks with intermediaries are “going well.”
A CNN previously reported, also on Monday, that Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey have been acting as mediators between the US and Iran, but that indirect negotiations broke down last week and that efforts for an in-person meeting appear to have come to an end.
But diplomatic efforts hit a major snag on Monday after neither side agreed to a last-minute proposal for a 45-day ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz drawn up by countries working to end the war.
Trump called the proposal a “significant step” but said it is “not enough,” adding that he is the only person who can determine whether there will be a ceasefire.
Meanwhile, , stating that a pause in fighting would allow adversaries to prepare for a continuation of the conflict.
According to Iranian state media, Tehran sent a ten-point response, calling for a permanent end to the war “in accordance with Iran’s considerations.”
