U.S. President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Iran over the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that American strikes could expand to Iranian power plants and other infrastructure if Tehran fails to reopen the waterway by the latest deadline. The warning came after the reported U.S. attack on Iran’s Ghadir Bridge last week, marking a further escalation in the standoff.
In a social media post, Trump said the next round of action could target both bridges and power facilities across Iran. He later told reporters there was a “good chance” of reaching a deal on Monday, but also said he was considering “blowing everything up and taking over the oil” if negotiations collapsed, underscoring the volatility of the situation.
Iran rejects ultimatum and threatens retaliation
Iranian officials have shown no sign of backing down. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said that if Iran’s infrastructure were attacked, Tehran would respond “in kind” and target similar infrastructure linked to the United States or contributing to what it described as U.S. aggression.
Meanwhile, presidential office spokesperson Mahdi Tabatabaei said Iran intends to keep the strait closed for now and is considering transit tolls to compensate for damage to infrastructure. According to his remarks, the passage would reopen only after part of those fees is used to cover the losses. Senior military officials in Iran also condemned Trump’s threats in harsh terms, signaling that the confrontation is far from easing.
Polymarket odds rise as oil and crypto react
As tensions climbed, prediction market platform Polymarket showed the odds of a U.S. invasion of Iran rising to 63%. The Strait of Hormuz has now remained shut for more than three weeks, and the route is tied to roughly 20% to 30% of global oil consumption and transit, making the disruption highly significant for world energy markets.
Brent crude closed above $109 per barrel on Thursday, reflecting the growing supply risk premium. The geopolitical shock is also weighing on risk sentiment in digital assets. Bitcoin has rebounded from lows near $66,000 last week, but was still trading just below $69,200 at press time. Over the same period, the total crypto market capitalization was up 2.2%. If tensions in the Middle East continue to worsen, near-term volatility across both traditional and crypto markets could remain elevated.