West Asia conflict | ‘You are fired’: Iran's IRGC pulls no punches, mocks Donald Trump with his own phrases amid US' Hormuz ultimatum

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has sharpened its tone against the United States, with one of its spokesmen taking a swipe at Donald Trump by using the phrase “You’re fired.”

The remark draws on Trump’s long-running association with the line from the TV show The Apprentice, where it became his trademark sign-off and a symbol of his public persona.

The jibe followed Trump’s reported 48-hour warning to Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Responding to this, the IRGC spokesperson said, “Hey, Trump, you’re fired. You know this line. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” echoing another phrase Trump frequently uses in his posts on Truth Social.

In his Truth Social post “warning” Iran, Trump wrote, “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! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

According to a video circulated by Iranian military-linked outlets, the spokesperson, speaking from the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said that the “equations of war are rapidly changing.” This comes even as Trump has, in separate posts, suggested scaling down military operations in Iran.

Iranian state media also reported that the country’s air defences had shot down a reconnaissance drone described as Israeli-American over Tehran before it could carry out any mission.

The IRGC further warned that any strike on Iran’s oil or power infrastructure would trigger retaliation against US and Israeli energy, IT, and desalination facilities across the region. It added that the Strait of Hormuz would be completely shut if Iranian power plants were attacked—a move that could disrupt global oil flows.

Separately, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf issued a stark warning on X, saying that attacks on Iran’s power facilities would lead to the irreversible destruction of critical infrastructure, including energy and oil installations, across the region.