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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Martin Belam

First Thing: Trump flip-flops on Hormuz toll and threatens Iran’s civilian infrastructure

A person raises their arms as an ball of fire rises in the distance
A screengrab from a video said to show an Iranian missile being launched from an undisclosed location towards US targets in Bahrain and Kuwait. Photograph: Sepahnews.com/AFP/Getty Images

Good morning. Donald Trump has threatened to expand US strikes on Iran next week to target civilian infrastructure including power plants and bridges if Tehran does not agree to a deal. Trump made similar comments in March. Destroying civilian infrastructure such as power and water facilities would be illegal under international humanitarian law and would probably constitute a war crime.

The US president, meanwhile, has U-turned on a threat that ships would have to pay a 20% fee to the US for “security” in the strait of Hormuz. He said he had decided to scrap the toll “based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership”, and touted “massive” investments. He said the US would continue to blockade Iranian ports.

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