The defiant rhetoric from Tehran intensified on Tuesday as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) dismissed Donald Trump’s recent boasts as "nonsense," insisting that it is Iran, not Washington, that will ultimately "determine the end of the war."
In a chilling ultimatum, a spokesperson for the elite force warned that if US and Israeli strikes on Iranian infrastructure continue, Tehran will ensure not "one litre of oil" is exported from the entire region, declaring that maritime security in the Gulf will henceforth be "for everyone or for no one."
This escalation follows a weekend of devastating air strikes that targeted five major oil depots in Tehran and the neighbouring Alborz province. The resulting infernos have left a thick shroud of toxic smog over the capital, with the Iranian Red Crescent warning that the pollutants could trigger hazardous acid rain. While local authorities scramble to restore fuel distribution, which has been crippled across the province, residents reported further unexplained explosions echoing through the city on Monday night.
Despite the visible damage, President Trump has maintained a triumphant tone, claiming the military campaign is "ahead of schedule" and has already successfully neutralised 83 per cent of Iran’s drone-launching capabilities. However, he accompanied this optimism with a stark "Fire and Fury" warning on social media, suggesting that any attempt by Iran to blockade the Strait of Hormuz would result in a retaliatory strike so severe it would be "virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back as a nation.
“Tehran, however, seems dug in for a long-term confrontation. The IRGC says it has enough ballistic missiles, drones, and attack vessels in store for at least six months of high-intensity warfare and plans to deploy more advanced and long-range weaponry in the coming days.” The human toll of the ten-day conflict is already staggering, with the Iranian Red Crescent announcing that 1,332 people have been killed and almost 10,000 civilian buildings damaged or destroyed since the first missiles struck on February 28.
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