Finnish defence minister warns civilian strikes in Iran would mark serious escalation

Finnish defence minister Antti Häkkänen has described potential US strikes on Iranian civilian targets as a grave sign of escalation, as tensions rise over the Strait of Hormuz, Yle reports.

US president Donald Trump has threatened to destroy Iran’s “entire civilisation” unless Tehran reopens the strategic waterway by 3am Finnish time on Wednesday. Trump stated on Monday that the US has plans to demolish all of Iran’s bridges and power plants.

Iran has retaliated by warning it would target Persian Gulf power infrastructure in response to any civilian strikes, a move that could deepen the global energy crisis.

Häkkänen noted that international law imposes limits on such actions. “They are certainly assessing which targets to add to the list next,” he said, adding that Iran’s defensive capabilities and counterstrikes have taken the US by surprise to some extent.

The minister acknowledged growing pressure on NATO, with Trump’s recent statements addressing the alliance’s role in managing the Hormuz situation. “Efforts are now being made to calm tensions so they do not disrupt NATO’s internal operations,” Häkkänen said.

Finland has not received specific US requests regarding Hormuz, though Häkkänen highlighted the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, where pressures on the alliance are mounting.

On broader geopolitical tensions, Häkkänen noted that Finland’s influence over Middle Eastern developments remains limited. “We naturally aim to prevent further escalation, but this is not directly in our hands,” he said.

The crisis comes as Trump has again raised the prospect of acquiring Greenland, a move that previously prompted Denmark to deploy reinforcements to the territory. Finland contributed two liaison officers to the effort.