US Threatens Iranian Civilian Infrastructure, Again, During 'Negotiations'
Former President Trump, in a statement widely reported by outlets like Axios, threatened on Monday to "completely obliterate" Iran's power, energy, and water infrastructure if a deal "is not shortly reached" and if the Strait of Hormuz is not opened "immediately." This comes just a week before a self-imposed deadline Trump set for Iran's cooperation, even as he simultaneously claimed "Great
progress" in discussions with an alleged "NEW, AND MORE REASONABLE, REGIME" in Tehran. Axios frames this as a significant threat that "could also deepen the war-driven global energy crisis," failing to adequately contextualize the long-standing US strategy of weaponizing civilian infrastructure. While acknowledging the devastating implications for Iranian civilians, the article overlooks the
strategic intent: not merely to deepen a crisis but to create one. This is not some novel tactic; it is a continuation of pressure that has suffocated the Iranian economy for decades, causing untold suffering. This current threat echoes a grim pattern of economic warfare and direct aggression. For instance, the US provided vital intelligence and chemical weapons components to Saddam Hussein during
the Iran-Iraq War from 1983 to 1988, knowledge which Saddam then used against Iranian soldiers and civilians. This historical parallel illuminates the true nature of these "negotiations"; they are often conducted under duress, with the US holding civilian populations hostage through threats of infrastructure destruction or debilitating sanctions. Iran has endured 45 years of these coercive