Global oil prices have surged sharply, and Trump is finally pushed to desperation. He issued a final ultimatum: if not agreed, then another war. Unexpectedly, Iran did not back down, but instead ordered a full-scale counterattack. If the US dares to act, Iran will fight at all costs.

Trump

Recently, Trump posted a statement on social media with his characteristic tone. He claimed that within the next 48 hours, if Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the US military will begin attacking various power plants in Iran, starting with the largest one. At the same time, media reported that the US government is massing troops in the Middle East on a large scale.

Trump's statement reveals some interesting information. First, the time is tight, clearly indicating it's not a diplomatic negotiation rhythm, but a countdown for military strikes. According to Trump, the final deadline should be around 4 p.m. Beijing Time on the afternoon of the 23rd, and there is less than 5 hours left from the time of writing.

Additionally, power plants are the heart of modern nations. If the largest Bushehr nuclear power plant is bombed, Iran's entire power grid may collapse instantly, not only the military system but also people's livelihood would collapse. This is not just about hurting Iran, but making the whole country stop. This "maximum pressure" reflects a key message: Trump is desperate, and dragging on further would be a dead end.

Oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz

However, facing Trump's ultimatum, Iran's response has been stronger than anyone expected. Not only did it not back down, but it also officially announced to the world that Iran has shifted from a defensive mode to an offensive one. If the US really takes action, Iran will "spare no effort" to retaliate and defend its national sovereignty. For this, Iran has set four specific targets for retaliation.

According to the statement released by the Iranian armed forces, once the US takes action, Iran will fully close the Strait of Hormuz until Iran repairs its power facilities. Additionally, Iran will "hit back with the same force," launching a wide-scale attack on all power facilities, energy, and communication infrastructure in Israel. All countries in the Middle East with US military bases will have their power facilities as legitimate targets for attack.

Iranian Revolutionary Guard

The most important point is to "completely destroy all US-owned companies in the Middle East." How many American companies are in the Middle East? Oil giants, technology companies, infrastructure projects - any that have American capital involved are all on the hit list. This isn't about war; it's about uprooting America's economic interests from the Middle East entirely.

Even more severe is that the Iranian armed forces clearly stated that this retaliation is a "cost-no-object" and "continuous" destructive strike. Obviously, Iran has already prepared to face a "mutual destruction" with the US and Israel. In a way, Iran indeed has no way out anymore.

Iranian missile hits a town in southern Israel

Since the joint US-Israeli attack on February 28, Iran has suffered over 20 days of bombings. The Supreme Leader Khamenei was killed in an attack, and over 1,200 people have died. The internal political balance in Iran has been broken. Even if Iran can gain breathing space through "compromise," the strong public dissatisfaction would make the current regime difficult to sustain for long.

In this situation, what does Iran have to worry about? The worst case has already happened; how bad could it get? If Iran bows down to Trump's "48-hour ultimatum," then every time the US threatens in the future, Iran would have to kneel. Moreover, the current situation is unfavorable for the US, not Iran, and Iran still has cards to play.

There is less than 5 hours left before the deadline of Trump's ultimatum. Will Trump take the risk of "destroying Iran" without considering the consequences? Is he really brave enough to start a war? Will Iran again "spare no effort" to retaliate? The real suspense of this gamble is not "whether Iran will give in," but "whether Trump is brave enough to actually go through with it." If they start a war, the Middle East will inevitably fall into chaos. If not, the US's words in the Middle East will be meaningless.

Original: toutiao.com/article/7620287773706125824/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.