'Threats only strengthen our unity,' says Iranian president amid Strait of Hormuz tensions

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned on Sunday that "threats and terror only strengthen our unity," as tensions continued to heighten around the Strait of Hormuz.

"The illusion of erasing Iran from the map shows desperation against the will of a history-making nation," Pezeshkian stated on the US social media company X.

The Strait of Hormuz is open to all "except those who violate our soil," he said. "We firmly confront delirious threats on the battlefield."

Hostilities in the region have escalated since US and Israeli strikes on Iran began on Feb. 28, with Tehran retaliating with repeated drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.

On Saturday, US President Donald Trump threatened to "obliterate" Iran's power plants, starting with the largest, if Tehran did not open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.

"If Iran doesn't fully open, without threat, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 hours from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various power plants, starting with the biggest one first," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

Since early March, Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil transit route that normally handles about 20 million barrels per day and roughly 20% of global liquefied natural gas trade, to most ships. The closure has driven up shipping and insurance costs, pushed oil prices higher, and raised global economic concerns.