US President Donald Trump threatened severe retaliation if Iran disrupts oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route.
BY PC Bureau
March 10: Iran has warned that it will not allow even “one litre of oil” to leave the Middle East if attacks against it continue, escalating tensions just hours after US President Donald Trump threatened to take control of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply passes, has become a central flashpoint in the Middle East conflict, which has now entered its second week.
In a sharp interview with CBS News on Monday, Trump warned Tehran against interfering with global oil shipments, saying such a move would mean the “end of Iran.”
“They have shot everything they have to shoot, and they better not try anything cute, or it’s going to be the end of that country. If they do anything bad, that would be the end of Iran, and you’d never hear the name again,” Trump said.
Trump also stated that the Strait of Hormuz remains open for now but added that he was “thinking about taking it over.”
BREAKING:
WSJ reports some advisers have privately urged Trump to consider an exit plan from the war in Iran, warning that rising oil prices and a prolonged conflict could trigger political backlash.
Trump says operation could end soon, though no timeline has been provided pic.twitter.com/ILNkyxmyB1
— Current Report (@Currentreport1) March 10, 2026
Spotlight on the Strait of Hormuz
Located between Iran and Oman, the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical energy transit routes. However, the ongoing conflict has effectively halted commercial shipping through the strait, disrupting global oil flows and pushing crude prices sharply higher.
On Monday, oil prices climbed to nearly $120 per barrel — a four-year high — amid fears that supply disruptions could continue.
Trump’s remarks came hours after Iran’s Foreign Ministry warned oil tankers passing through the strait to “be very careful.”
The US president has previously warned that Iran would face severe retaliation if it attempted to block oil shipments through the strategic waterway.
“If Iran does anything that stops the flow of oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the US twenty times harder than they have been hit thus far,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
READ: Israel Accused of Using White Phosphorus Over Lebanon
Iran Responds
Iran, however, appeared unfazed by the warning. On Tuesday, the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said that if attacks by the United States and Israel continued, it would prevent any oil exports from the region.
“If aggression by the US military and the Zionist regime against Iran and its infrastructure continues, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic will not allow the export of even one litre of oil from the region to hostile countries and their partners until further notice,” the IRGC said in a statement.
A prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a further surge in global oil prices. As tensions between the US and Iran intensify, the strategic waterway has emerged as the key flashpoint in the second week of the conflict.
