Amid rising tensions between the United States and Iran, US President Donald Trump has appeared to extend a deadline for Tehran to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, "Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!" [sic]. This message is widely interpreted as a reference to a revised deadline for Iranian compliance. The post followed a series of earlier remarks in which the president warned Iran to either “make a deal” with Washington or reopen the vital shipping route.
Donald Trump's Threat To Iran
Photo Credit: (Photo: AP/PTI)
Trump has repeatedly threatened severe consequences should Iran fail to act, claiming the United States would target key energy and civilian infrastructure if the deadline is missed. The president has used increasingly expletive-laden language in recent days to enforce his demands regarding the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which a significant share of global oil shipments pass.
On Easter Sunday morning, Trump surprised both friends and detractors with a profane social media post warning Iran that it will be "living in Hell" if it did not open the Strait of Hormuz, drawing calls for dialling back the rhetoric.
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Trump first issued the warning late last month, giving Iran 48 hours to reopen the strait. That timeline was subsequently extended multiple times, most recently to Monday, April 6, at 8 p.m. ET, according to CNN, before the latest reference to Tuesday evening.
In an earlier interview with Axios, Trump said negotiations were still under way and suggested an agreement could be reached. "There is a good chance," he said, adding that the consequences would be severe if talks collapsed.
Addressing concerns about civilian harm, Trump asserted that many Iranian citizens opposed their government and would support US actions, arguing they lived in fear of abandonment by Washington. Separately, Trump had claimed last week that Iran's largest bridge had been struck, renewing calls for Tehran to make a deal before it is "too late."
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