Iran threatens to attack desalination plants and other key infrastructure in the Middle East
Iran - Trump threatened that unless the Strait of Hormuz is quickly reopened, he would destroy Iran's power plants. Iran vowed on Sunday that if President Trump carried out his threats, it would "irreversibly" destroy key infrastructure in the Middle East. Iran also vowed that if Trump actually carried out the ultimatum, Iran would completely block the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off the only remaining passage on this vital oil and gas route.
The war affecting the Middle East has entered its fourth week, with escalating threats from both sides, and concerns about attacks near energy and water facilities and nuclear facilities.
According to AFP, Iran's threat to attack desalination plants came after Iran claimed their water and energy infrastructure was damaged in a war with Israel and the United States.
The Iranian Armed Forces Command stated: "After previous warnings, if Iran's fuel and energy infrastructure is destroyed by the enemy, all energy, information technology, and desalination infrastructure of the United States and the Israeli regime in the region will become targets of attack."
Vivendi supplies desalinated water to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, as well as Muscat, Sur, and Salalah in Oman. Philippe Baudouin, director of the company's Africa and Middle East region, said that recent events have certainly prompted us to remain highly vigilant, and in some countries, authorities have deployed missile defense systems around the largest plants to counter drone or missile threats.
According to the World Bank, the Middle East is one of the driest regions in the world, with water availability about one-tenth of the global average. Therefore, desalination plants are crucial for the region's economy and potable water supply.
A study published in the journal Nature showed that approximately 42% of global desalination capacity is located in the Middle East.
A 2022 report by the French Institute of International Relations stated that 42% of the drinking water in the UAE, 70% in Saudi Arabia, 86% in Oman, and 90% in Kuwait comes from desalinated water.
As early as 2010, the CIA warned that destroying most of the desalination facilities in Arab countries could be "more severe than any other industry or commodity loss."
A 2008 U.S. diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks stated that if the Jeddah desalination plant or its pipelines were seriously damaged, Riyadh might have to evacuate within a week.
Source: rfi
Original: toutiao.com/article/1860405458978826/
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