Oil prices extended gains in early Asian trading on Monday as President Donald Trump sharply escalated threats against Iran. He vowed to strike power plants and bridges unless Tehran reopens the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday.
The latest ultimatum signals that the six-week-old conflict is entering a more dangerous phase with no diplomatic off-ramp in sight.
Trump’s Ultimatum: ‘Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day’
In a social media post, Trump declared Tuesday would be “Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day” and demanded Iran “open the f—ing Strait,” warning Tehran would “be living in Hell.” The unprecedented language signals Washington’s growing frustration with stalled diplomacy over the critical waterway.
Brent crude climbed above $111 a barrel, up 1.9%, while West Texas Intermediate traded near $112 during the Asian morning session. Tehran rejected the demands, and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to most shipping traffic. The war has triggered a supply shock now threatening to become a full-blown global energy crisis.
Rising oil and fuel prices are stoking inflation, slowing economic growth, and squeezing businesses and consumers worldwide. US gasoline pump prices have risen by roughly $1 per gallon since the conflict began. Analysts expect the March consumer price data on Friday to show the sharpest monthly increase since 2022.
OPEC+ members approved a modest 206,000 barrel-per-day output increase for May after a weekend meeting. However, the move was largely symbolic, as key producers cannot increase output due to the war. Russian supply has also been disrupted by Ukrainian drone strikes on its Baltic Sea export terminal.
Market stress indicators are flashing red. Brent’s prompt spread widened beyond $10 a barrel in backwardation. That gap exceeds peaks seen during Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Physical market prices tell an even starker story. Dated Brent surged past $140, reaching levels not seen since 2008.
Diplomacy Stalls as Attacks Continue
Iran has officially told mediators it will not meet US officials in Islamabad, and ceasefire efforts have stalled. Tehran has allowed limited passage through the Strait of Hormuz for select vessels from countries it deems friendly. Iraq received an exemption from Iran’s shipping curbs, though carriers remain cautious about entering the strait. Oman said it discussed options with Tehran to restore shipping flows.
Global buyers are now aggressively bidding for alternative crude supplies from the US Gulf Coast and the North Sea. Israeli strikes continued across Iran over the weekend, while Tehran hit Kuwait Petroleum Corp. headquarters and shut down an Emirati petrochemicals plant.
Asian equity markets opened cautiously. Japan’s Nikkei rose 0.7% and South Korean shares gained 2%. Gold fell about 1% to around $4,630 as surging energy costs undermined expectations of interest rate cuts.
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