Trump's 48-Hour Ultimatum Ignored, Middle East Analyst: Iran Shows No Signs of Surrender

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TEHERAN – Iran shows no signs of surrender or weakening in the face of Trump’s 48-hour ultimatum for Tehran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. This was stated by Abas Aslani, a senior researcher at the Middle East Studies Centre.

The Iranian analyst told Al Jazeera that Tehran will take Trump’s threats seriously and adjust its operational posture to respond to those threats.

“Iran is not only trying to survive, but also to turn this direct threat into a long-term strategic opportunity. That is why Tehran is unlikely to surrender to the ultimatum set by the American president,” he said.

Aslani stated that some parties in Tehran believe Iran will bear the consequences if the US carries out its threat to attack the country’s power plants. Those consequences are part of the struggle to build strategic parity to ensure long-term security.

“Currently, any sign of retreat from Iran would only be interpreted as a ‘sign of weakness’ from the perspective of many people in Iran,” he added.

The government in Tehran has stated that it will permanently destroy critical infrastructure across the Middle East, including vital water systems, if the US follows through on Donald Trump’s threat to destroy Iran’s power plants.

As Iranian missiles struck two cities in southern Israel last night, injuring dozens of people, and Tehran deployed long-range missiles for the first time, these developments signal a dangerous potential escalation in the war, now entering its fourth week, with both sides threatening facilities relied upon by millions of people.

Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said on Sunday that vital infrastructure in the region – including energy facilities and desalination plants – would be considered legitimate targets and permanently destroyed if his country’s own infrastructure is attacked.