Washington, 31 March (H.S.):

The United States has openly defended the targeted killing of Iranian leaders, saying negotiations were “strung along” by Tehran, as President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric by threatening to destroy Iran’s electric grid and main oil export terminal if a deal is not swiftly finalised.

US accuses Iran of deception

Speaking to reporters on Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that previous Iranian leaders were eliminated because they “lied to the United States and strung us along in negotiations,” a course of action she described as “unacceptable” to the president.

She added that the latest talks with Tehran represented a “historic opportunity” for Iran to do the “right thing,” while insisting that anything Iran says privately will be “tested” and met with “military consequences” if not upheld.

Iran’s foreign‑ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, rejected the US claims, stating that Tehran was under “military aggression” and that all its efforts were focused on self‑defence.

He dismissed Washington’s peace proposals as “unrealistic, illogical and excessive,” insisting that public statements from Iran reflected its actual stance.

“Increasingly eager” Iran, tougher strikes

Leavitt contended that, behind the scenes, Iranian officials were “increasingly eager” to negotiate and had already agreed to some of Washington’s points on ending the conflict.

She claimed that Tehran’s private tone was “more reasonable” than its public posturing, even as the US continued “more intense, targeted strikes with devastating combat power with each passing day,” according to her remarks.

US‑led operations have included precision bunker‑buster strikes on key Iranian military and nuclear‑related sites, including a major ammunition depot in the central city of Isfahan, a strategic hub with links to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and home to the Badr airbase.

Reports based on US officials indicate that large‑yield 2,000‑pound penetrator munitions were used in the Isfahan raid, aimed at hardened or underground structures.

Trump threatens power plants and Kharg Island

On the same day, President Trump posted a lengthy message on Truth Social, warning that if a deal with Iran is not reached soon and the Strait of Hormuz is not opened “immediately for business,” the US would “blow up and completely obliterate” Iran’s electric generating plants and Kharg Island, its principal crude‑oil export terminal.

He described Kharg Island as a “crown jewel” for Tehran and suggested that desalination plants could also be targeted, underscoring that these facilities had been “purposefully not yet touched” during earlier operations.

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for Gulf oil and gas exports, has been effectively blocked by Iran since the Middle East war erupted in late March 2026, sharply raising global energy‑security concerns.

Analysts quoted in international media have warned that sustained attacks on Iran’s power‑generation and desalination infrastructure could trigger severe humanitarian and economic consequences, especially in arid regions that depend on energy‑driven water‑treatment systems.

Middle East plunged into wider war

The current conflict began last month when the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran, killing 86‑year‑old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior Iranian officials.

In response, Iran has launched missile and drone attacks on Israeli targets and US military installations in Gulf countries, while Washington and its allies have carried out repeated strikes on Iranian airbases, nuclear‑related sites and storage facilities.

Official and media tallies estimate that the war has killed more than 3,000 people, the majority in Iran, with civilian casualties reported in both urban and industrial areas struck by missiles and bombers.

The expanding cross‑border campaign has alarmed regional and European governments, with several capitals urging a negotiated ceasefire and warning that the conflict could further destabilise global energy markets and trigger a broader geopolitical crisis.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar