Iran threatens to halt all Middle East energy exports amid renewed US blockade

Tehran shuts strait of Hormuz and carries out retaliatory strikes as Trump threatens to hit civilian infrastructure…

 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/15/trump-iran-power-plants-strike-threat-strait-of-hormuz

 

President shifts deadline again for attacking power plants and bridges in expletive-ridden social media post

Oona A Hathaway, a professor of international law at Yale University, said the US president had offered no explanation that would make the civilian objects he has threatened to target into lawful military objectives. She also said other nations had an obligation to ensure respect of the Geneva conventions, and not to aid and abet wrongful acts. 

“If these threatened attacks were to be carried out, they would constitute war crimes,” said Hathaway. “Immiserating the civilian population for bargaining leverage is not lawful.”…

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/05/trump-warns-iran-to-reopen-strait-of-hormuz-by-tuesday-or-face-hell

 

 

Trump claims ‘productive’ talks with Iran but Tehran denies contact

Donald Trump has claimed there have been talks between the US and Iran over the past day in which the two sides had "major points of agreement", appearing to avert a potentially severe escalation of the conflict. 

 Tehran has denied the claim, in which Trump also speculated that a deal could soon be done to end the war. Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson said no talks had been held with the US since the bombing campaign began 24 days ago...

 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/23/trump-extends-iran-deadline-five-days-energy-infrastructure

 

Iran vows to destroy Middle East water and energy facilities if US attacks power plants

Tehran has said it will "irreversibly destroy" essential infrastructure across the Middle East, including vital water systems, if the US follows through on Donald Trump's threat to "obliterate" Iran's power plants unless the strait of Hormuz is fully opened within two days. 

As Iranian missiles struck two southern Israeli cities overnight, injuring dozens of people, and Tehran deployed long-range missiles for the first time, the developments signalled a dangerous potential escalation of the war, now in its fourth week, with both sides threatening facilities relied on by millions of people...

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/22/iran-says-destroy-middle-east-infrastructure-us-energy-sites.

 

Trump tells Iran it has 48 hours to open Hormuz or US will ‘obliterate’ its power plants

Donald Trump has given Iran 48 hours to reopen the strait of Hormuz to shipping or face the destruction of its energy infrastructure, as Tehran launched its most destructive attack yet on Israel…

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/22/iran-donald-trump-48-hours-open-hormuz-strait

 

Trump’s EPA announces major rollbacks to power plant pollution limits | Trump administration | The Guardian

More than 200 health experts say regulatory proposals will lead to biggest increase in pollution in decades…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/11/trump-administration-epa-pollution 

 

Biden EPA Announces Power Plant Rules to Curb Mercury, Other Toxins

Mercury can cause developmental problems in infants and children and high levels of emissions pose a danger to the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system of anyone exposed.

The other pollutants targeted by the rule have been linked to heart attacks, cancer, and developmental delays, and the EPA noted that compliance with the updated MATS "would also result in emissions reductions of fine particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon dioxide nationwide," further improving public health...

https://www.commondreams.org/news/biden-epa-mercury-rule

Biden’s EPA chief Micheal Regan puts power plants on notice for pollution in Texas speech - The Washington Post

…Speaking to a gathering of energy executives in Houston, President Biden's top environmental officer outlined a suite of regulatory actions in the coming months to tighten rules around toxic mercury, smog-forming compounds and other power-plant pollutants as the administration searches for ways to accelerate the nation's shift to cleaner electricity…

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/03/10/epa-power-plants-biden/