Reactions and statements from the international community
On Sunday, April 2, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran stated that the Strait of Hormuz remains open for maritime traffic but is being managed with "considerations arising from the state of war."
The U.S. Central Command announced that reports claiming the Islamic Republic shot down an American fighter jet over Iran are false. CENTCOM also stated that American forces have conducted more than 8,000 combat flights during recent military operations, with no fighter jets lost.
In an interview with Israel's Channel 13, former U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the outcome of military action against Iran would be "very good," asserting that the complete destruction of Iran is imminent and justified after 47 years of bad behavior. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responded by threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. follows through with threats to attack Iran's energy facilities.
U.S. President Donald Trump, in an interview with Israel's Channel 13 on Sunday evening, threatened to target Iran's power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened within 48 hours, warning of "complete destruction" of Iran. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps responded by threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz and destroy infrastructure in Israel and regional countries if attacked.
Anwar Gargash, Senior Advisor to the President of the United Arab Emirates, stated that the war against Iran must not end with another ceasefire but should conclude with addressing the nuclear threat, drone and missile capabilities, and Iranian aggression in the Strait of Hormuz.
Following the U.S. President's announcement of a new deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and a threat to "destroy power plants" if the demand is not met, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi issued a statement on X, distinguishing "Iran" from the "Islamic Republic" and calling for the dismantling of the ruling structure, which he described as a "repression machine."
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced on Sunday that 22 countries, including several NATO members, are planning military operations to ensure the "freedom" of the Strait of Hormuz, following a statement by the United Arab Emirates, UK, France, Japan, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, Denmark, Latvia, Slovenia, Estonia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, Romania, Bahrain, Lithuania, and Australia condemning Iran's actions in the strait.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bennett told NBC that President Donald Trump is threatening to destroy Iran's power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not fully opened, stating Trump "will take whatever action is necessary" to achieve his goals in the conflict with the Islamic Republic. Bennett also noted that increasing tension can be a tactic to ultimately reduce it.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bennett said on Sunday that the United States may need to "intensify" its attacks against Iran to de-escalate the conflict, following President Trump's threat to "completely destroy" Iran's energy facilities if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened.
Mike Waltz, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, declared that Iran's power plants are legitimate military targets due to the IRGC's control over infrastructure and its use in warfare, in response to Trump's 48-hour deadline to the Islamic Republic.
On Sunday, Prince Reza Pahlavi urged the United States and Israel to avoid attacking Iran's civilian and vital infrastructure, stating these belong to Iran's future. This came in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to target Iran's power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened within 48 hours.
Babak Taghvaee tweets to the President of the United States, urging him to cease military threats against Iran and warning that targeting Iran's power plants could lead to retaliatory attacks on oil facilities in Persian Gulf states.
