Oil back above $110 after expletive-laden Trump threat to Iran
Oil Prices Surge Past $110 Amid Trump’s Bold Threat to Iran
Global crude oil prices climbed above $110 per barrel on Monday, driven by renewed tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Brent crude surged 1.6% to $110.85, while U.S. benchmark oil gained 0.8% to $112.40. This increase followed President Donald Trump’s aggressive social media statement on Sunday, in which he warned of attacks on Iran’s critical infrastructure unless the Strait of Hormuz remained open by Tuesday.
Trump’s Expletive-Filled Warning
In a fiery post on Truth Social, Trump declared: “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP.” Hours later, he reiterated the deadline with a specific time: “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!”
“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
OPEC+ and the Strait of Hormuz Crisis
On Sunday, OPEC+—a coalition including Saudi Arabia, Russia, and other major producers—approved a modest output boost of 206,000 barrels daily in May. However, the plan faces challenges as several key members cannot ramp up production due to ongoing hostilities. Meanwhile, Iranian attacks on oil facilities in the Gulf intensified, with Tehran claiming responsibility for strikes on petrochemical plants in Kuwait, Bahrain, and the UAE.
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for a fifth of global energy exports, has been under threat from Iran. The nation’s warnings to target vessels using the waterway have disrupted Middle Eastern oil shipments, prompting global energy price hikes and inflation worries. Trump’s prior threats had already pushed prices above $100 a barrel last week, with him vowing airstrikes to “send Iran back to the Stone Ages.”
Iranian Response and Escalation
Senior Iranian military official Gen Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi criticized Trump’s earlier deadline, calling it “helpless, nervous, unbalanced and stupid.” He added, “The gates of hell will open” for the U.S. leader. The IRGC also warned that attacks on civilian infrastructure would escalate if Iran’s economic targets were continued.
“The gates of hell will open” for the U.S. leader.
Trump has delayed Iran’s deadline to ease ship passage through the Strait of Hormuz but reiterated his demands in the strongly worded post. His threat of “blowing everything up and taking over the oil” looms if talks fail, heightening uncertainty in global markets.
