Reactions and statements from the international community
President Donald Trump is considering options to secure safe passage for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, potentially deploying U.S. air, naval forces, and possibly troops to Iran’s shoreline, according to sources cited by Reuters.
On Wednesday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned a Barbados-flagged tanker attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, causing the vessel to turn back. Since the commencement of Israeli and American military operations, the Islamic Republic has intensified efforts to disrupt maritime traffic through the Strait, restricting passage for most ships.
BREAKING: The Ras Laffan industrial area in Qatar, operated by QatarEnergy, is on fire following drone strikes by the IRGC Aerospace Force, destroying one of its key facilities. This disruption affects global LNG production, particularly European markets, potentially increasing reliance on Russian gas supplies.
The European Union condemned the execution of Iranian-Swedish citizen Koroush Keivani in Iran on Wednesday, describing it as a "barbaric act." EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also spoke with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi about safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and called for an end to attacks on regional critical infrastructure.
Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday that it has declared Iran's military and security attachés as "persona non grata" and ordered them to leave the country within 24 hours, citing repeated attacks by Iran, including the latest strikes on Qatar's Ras Laffan industrial city that caused extensive damage to gas facilities.
Qatar has issued a 24-hour ultimatum for Iranian diplomats to leave the country following an attack by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Qatar’s largest gas field in Ras Laffan. The IRGC retaliated after Israel targeted Iran’s oil and gas facilities in Asaluyeh.
Reports received by Iran International indicate that special police units, some retirees, and army personnel have not received salaries for up to two months, with senior commanders accusing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of exploiting the financial crisis at Bank Sepah to weaken law enforcement forces and strengthen clerical establishment institutions.
i24NEWS reported, citing an informed source, that Israel targeted missile-launching ships of the Islamic Republic's Navy in the Caspian Sea, with video footage showing a missile strike at Anzali Port. A viewer reported that several vessels were targeted in the Caspian Sea on Wednesday evening.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the targeting of energy infrastructure in Iran, stating that such acts will not benefit the "Zionist–American enemy" and could lead to global repercussions.
Israel's Channel 12 reported that Israel, in coordination with the United States, conducted an attack on Iran's South Pars gas field, the world's largest gas field, as a warning to Tehran regarding threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. A senior Israeli official stated that the operation aimed to signal to Iran that its energy installations could be destroyed if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked.
On Wednesday night, Qatar's Ministry of Interior announced that the main gas facilities in Ras Laffan caught fire following an attack from Iran. Emergency forces are working to combat the fire, and earlier, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had warned of potential attacks on oil and gas refineries in Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.
Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the attack on energy infrastructure in Iran, warning of "uncontrollable" global consequences. The National Iranian Gas Company reported damage to refinery units in southern Iran following the attack, with no casualties reported among employees.
