New york: Stephnne Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, has reacted to US President Donald Trump's renewed threats to strike Iranian civilian infrastructure, stating that no military goal justifies such attacks and the infliction of pain on a civilian population.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Dujarric emphasized that there is no military objective that justifies the wholesale destruction of civilian infrastructure or the deliberate infliction of pain on a civilian population. This statement came as Trump reiterated his threats to target Iran's power plants and bridges unless Tehran agrees to his proposed deal to end the ongoing conflict.

Dujarric also addressed the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, noting significant activity and confusion in the area. He conveyed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's concerns about recent maritime incidents over the past 48 hours and stressed the importance of respecting freedom of navigation in the strait.

The conflict escalated when the United States and Israel launched an offensive against Iran on February 28. In response, Iran, citing self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, conducted missile and drone strikes on Israeli positions and US bases in West Asia. Furthermore, Iran has maintained control over the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial channel for nearly 20% of the world's energy supply, restricting passage to ships belonging to adversaries and their allies.

On April 17, Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen to 'all commercial vessels' as part of a two-week ceasefire with Washington, which began on April 8. However, Iran quickly reinstated restrictions following the US's naval blockade despite the truce.

In a related development, the US military seized the Iranian commercial vessel, Touska, on Monday, alleging that it had violated the blockade.