Tehran, Iran – In the crucial hours leading up to the US deadline, Tehran issued an urgent appeal to the Gulf states for diplomatic intervention. It also warned of an impending “catastrophe” that could engulf the entire region.
This comes after US President Donald Trump explicitly threatened to destroy civilian infrastructure, bridges, and power plants in the Islamic Republic. He threatened to do so unless Tehran complied with the demand to reopen the Strait of Hormuz before midnight Tuesday/Wednesday.
Iranian diplomatic mobilization in Kuwait
In remarks to AFP, Iran’s ambassador to Kuwait, Mohammad Tootunchi, called on regional countries to use their diplomatic and political capabilities to prevent a devastating US attack.
Tototunchi stressed that Tehran “does not want to escalate tensions.” He explained that targeting vital Iranian facilities would inevitably lead to “a complete and total disruption of energy exports from the region,” thus jeopardizing global energy security.
Mutual escalation and Trump’s deadline
This diplomatic appeal comes as Iran continues to target neighboring Gulf states with missiles and drones in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes that targeted its top officials.
The Iranian attacks have not been limited to US bases. They have also targeted airports, oil facilities, and residential areas in countries across the region, further complicating the situation on the ground.
For his part, Trump had unveiled a military plan he described as terrifying, aimed at disabling all Iranian power plants and destroying vital bridges. He said, “We have a plan that will render these facilities unusable,” a move Tehran considers a “catastrophe” requiring intervention from its regional allies to stop it.
Pakistani mediation at a “delicate stage”
On a parallel front, Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri-Moghaddam, hinted at a glimmer of diplomatic hope. He indicated that Islamabad’s mediation efforts to end the war were approaching a “critical stage.”
While he did not disclose details of the proposed agreement, political circles are watching closely to see if this mediation will succeed in defusing the crisis. This comes before the expiration of the US deadline and the start of the “destruction of infrastructure” threatened by the White House.
