Trump issues one-week ultimatum to Iran after Haifa oil refinery strike
The president said “You'll see shortly” when asked for his response to Iranian strikes on the Haifa oil refinery and Kuwait energy facilities
President Donald Trump on Monday put Iran and its parliament speaker on notice following an Iranian missile strike on Israel’s largest oil refinery in Haifa. In an exclusive interview with The Post, Trump said his response would come “shortly” and set a one-week timeframe to determine whether the new Iranian leadership is willing to engage with the United States.
The attack in Haifa, which caused a blaze at an industrial building and fuel tank, came after Iran targeted a water and electrical plant in Kuwait. Israel’s Fire and Rescue Service reported that debris from intercepted missiles hit the refinery, but limited damage was caused.
Trump told The Post that the US would soon assess whether Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is willing to cooperate, saying, “We’re going to find out. I’ll let you know that in about a week.” He described a reshuffle within Tehran, claiming the previous regime has largely been removed and replaced by a “new set of people” who have so far been more receptive to diplomacy.
The president also referenced uncertainty surrounding Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump said the leader has not been seen publicly since the start of US and Israeli military operations on February 28 and may be seriously injured, adding, “Nobody’s heard from him… We think probably yes, but in extraordinarily bad shape.”
Amid the escalation, Trump threatened Iranian energy infrastructure if no peace deal is reached. On Truth Social, he warned the US could consider “blowing up and completely obliterating all of their electric generating plants, oil wells, and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!), which we have purposefully not yet touched.”
The strikes and threats have contributed to rising oil prices. Early Monday trading saw Brent crude hit $115 per barrel, while the US average gas price reached $3.99 per gallon, the highest since 2022, according to AAA. Trump’s one-week ultimatum places added pressure on Tehran as the US evaluates whether diplomatic engagement or further escalation will follow.