Iran Calls on Youth to Form Human Shields Around Power Plants as Conflict Escalates
In the face of a looming deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump, Iranian authorities have urged young citizens to form human chains in defense of the nation’s power plants. Trump warned that if Tehran fails to accept a new agreement — which includes reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz — “a whole civilization will die tonight.”
Airstrikes and Military Responses
Concurrent with the heightened rhetoric, airstrikes struck two bridges and a train station inside Iran. U.S. forces also targeted military installations on Kharg Island, a major Iranian oil hub. This marks the second American assault on the island. While Trump had extended previous deadlines, he indicated that the current ultimatum — set for 8 p.m. Washington time — is final.
Trump further threatened to destroy all of Iran’s power plants and bridges if the country does not permit full traffic through the strait, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes under normal conditions. In response, Iran’s president claimed that 14 million people, himself included, have volunteered to fight.
It remains unclear whether the latest airstrikes are directly linked to Trump’s threats. At least two of the targets belong to Iran’s rail network, which Israel had previously signaled it might attack. Israel has increasingly carried out operations aimed at crippling Iran’s economy.
Iran’s Retaliation and Global Impact
Iran, for its part, launched attacks against Israel and Saudi Arabia, forcing the temporary closure of a major causeway. Although Iran cannot match the advanced weaponry or air superiority of the U.S. and Israel, its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz has roiled global markets, sending oil prices soaring and intensifying pressure on Trump both domestically and internationally to resolve the standoff.
Diplomatic Efforts and War Crime Concerns
Officials involved in back-channel diplomacy say talks continue, but Iran has rejected the latest U.S. proposal. It is uncertain whether a deal can be reached before Trump’s threatened strikes. World leaders and legal experts warn that attacks as destructive as those suggested by Trump could constitute war crimes. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called for restraint, stating that targeting civilian and energy infrastructure is prohibited by the rules of war and international law. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres echoed that warning. Trump told reporters he is “not at all” concerned about committing war crimes.
Mobilization and Public Mood
Iranian official Alireza Rahimi issued a video appeal calling on “all young people, athletes, artists, students, university professors” to form human chains around power plants. Similar gestures have occurred during past tensions with the West. Meanwhile, a general from the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard urged parents to send their children to man checkpoints. The Guard also warned that if Trump follows through on his threat, Iran will “deprive the U.S. and its allies of the region’s oil and gas for years” and expand attacks across the Gulf.
In Tehran, the atmosphere is grim. A young teacher, speaking anonymously out of safety concerns, expressed fear that U.S. and Israeli strikes will unleash chaos. “If we lose internet, electricity, water, and gas, we really will go back to the Stone Age, as Trump said,” she told the Associated Press.
Casualties and Infrastructure Damage
Since the war began on February 28 — after Iran choked off shipping through the Strait of Hormuz in response to U.S.-Israeli attacks — more than 1,900 people have been killed in Iran, though the government has not updated the toll for days. In Lebanon, over 1,400 have died, and more than one million have been displaced. Eleven Israeli soldiers have been killed there. In Gulf Arab states and the West Bank, over two dozen have died; 23 have been reported dead in Israel, and 13 U.S. service members have also lost their lives.
Saudi Arabia intercepted seven ballistic missiles and four drones launched by Iran and temporarily closed the King Fahd Causeway. Iran also fired on Israel.
Oil Prices and Stalled Negotiations
In spot trading Tuesday, Brent crude exceeded $108 per barrel — a roughly 50% increase since the war began. Tehran rejected a 45-day ceasefire proposal on Monday, demanding a permanent end to hostilities. However, indirect communications between the U.S. and Iran continue, with mediators from Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey “racing against time” to broker a compromise. Iran has linked the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to sanctions relief, and the U.S. has shown openness to easing some sanctions, particularly on Iran’s oil sector, partly to stabilize global markets.