Iran calls Trump's threats 'war crimes', vows regret-inducing response

Iran has vowed a 'decisive, immediate, and regret-inducing response' to any US aggression, with officials labelling threats against civilian infrastructure like power plants and bridges as 'war crimes' under international law.

Iran Warns of 'Decisive, Regret-Inducing Response'

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said that Iran will deliver a decisive, immediate, and regret-inducing response to any act of aggression or imminent threat, Press TV reported. Gharibabadi said that US President Donald Trump's threats to strike power plants and bridges in Iran could amount to war crimes.

"The American president, as the highest official of his country, has publicly threatened to commit war crimes," Gharibabadi says in a post on X, citing provisions of international law that could be breached, as per The Times of Israel. "The threat to attack power plants and bridges (civilian infrastructure) is a war crime under Article 8(2)(b) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court," he added.

Threats Denounced as 'War Crimes', US Allies Warned

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei has condemned US threats to target Iran's infrastructure as "war crimes," warning that any state assisting Washington will share legal responsibility. "Regarding the threats against us, without a doubt, the very act of making such threats is a war crime," he said, pointing to US talk of striking "energy and industrial infrastructure" while giving Israel "the green light to attack civilian targets", as reported by Al Jazeera. These, he stressed, were examples of war crimes according to "both international humanitarian law and the Statute of the International Criminal Court".

The spokesperson said Iran's diplomacy will continue alongside its military defence. "While our defenders are bravely sacrificing their lives, the diplomatic apparatus is also doing its job. Our basis and criterion are national interests, national security, and the legitimate demands of the Iranians," Baghaei added.

"All countries should know that any cooperation and collaboration with the US in committing its crimes must be held accountable and held accountable as a war crime and a crime against humanity," Al Jazeera quoted Baghaei as saying.

Trump Sets Deadline Over Strait of Hormuz

Trump has appeared to extend the deadline amid mounting pressure on Tehran to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!" This came right after he used unusually harsh language to convey his message, reminding Tehran of his deadline to 'make a deal' or to 'open the Strait', noting that Tuesday will be the day when Washington will wrap up all of Iran's energy and civil infrastructure.

The developing security situation in West Asia and the Gulf region as the US-Israel and Iran conflict has entered its second month now, with hostilities across civilian, energy and military infrastructure in the region. (ANI)

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