Main developments
Iran’s top military command said Donald Trump’s threats are “delusional” after the US president renewed his threat to decimate Iran if it does not agree to a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8pm Eastern time on Tuesday.
Oil prices jumped as Trump threatened to take out the “entire country” of Iran.
Iran said earlier on Monday it had rejected what it called a US ceasefire plan as it continued to insist on a “permanent end” to the war.
Iranian state media reported that Tehran had presented a separate 10-point plan to Pakistani mediators for ending the conflict. Trump rejected the proposal, saying it was not enough to satisfy Washington.
Iran threatened to launch “more crushing” and “more extensive” retaliatory attacks if Israeli-US air strikes on non-military targets persisted.
Israeli strikes have shut down Iran’s largest petrochemical plants, striking a key industry and source of export revenue as Israel and the US step up attacks on Tehran’s infrastructure.
The first attempts by QatarEnergy tankers carrying liquefied natural gas to cross the Strait of Hormuz appeared to have been aborted.
Iran’s top military command says Trump’s threats are ‘delusional’
Iran’s top military command said US President Donald Trump’s threats are “delusional” and have no impact on the ongoing war.
Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said Trump’s “rude” and “baseless” threats do not make up for America’s “humiliation and disgrace in the region of western Asia”.
Zolfaghari added that Iran had earlier attacked a ship named SDN7, which he said belonged to Israel, as Iran continues to assert dominance over the Strait of Hormuz. He said Iran had also attacked chemical companies in Israel and US bases across the region.
UK to host military planning meeting with more than 40 countries over Strait of Hormuz
Britain will on Tuesday host a military planning meeting of more than 40 countries willing to help secure safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz once fighting in the region has ended.
The virtual conference of the so-called coalition of the willing will bring together planners and other officials from countries that last month signed a statement expressing their “readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait”.
Participants include France, Germany, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia and the United Arab Emirates.
Read more here.