Trump Threatens Iran with Total Destruction as Tuesday Deadline Looms

U.S. President Donald Trump issued a final ultimatum to Iran expiring Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 20:00 Eastern Time — 2:00 a.m. Wednesday in Poland — threatening to destroy every power plant and bridge in the country within four hours if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz and conclude a deal. Trump made the threat during a press conference at the White House on Easter Monday, stating that Iran could be returned to the "Stone Age" if no agreement is reached. „"The whole country can be destroyed in one night. That night could be tomorrow."” — Donald Trump via Reuters Trump simultaneously said he would prefer to avoid such action and expressed hope that Iran was negotiating in good faith, noting that "several incredible countries" were supporting U.S. efforts to end the conflict. He also declared that the United States had already won the war and that Americans — not Iranians — should in the future collect fees for use of the waterway. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth appeared alongside Trump and announced that Monday would see the largest number of U.S. strikes on Iran since the operation began on February 28, adding that Tuesday's strikes would surpass even those.

Tehran rejects 45-day truce, submits 10 demands Iran rejected a 45-day ceasefire proposal mediated by Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey, insisting instead on a permanent end to the conflict and presenting a 10-point response that included demands for war reparations. The Iranian state news agency IRNA confirmed that Tehran handed its response to Pakistan, though the contents of the original U.S. proposal were not disclosed. Iran's IRGC-linked military command dismissed Trump's threats in blunt terms. „The crude and arrogant rhetoric, as well as the groundless threats of the deranged US president, who is stuck in a dead end and justifies further failures of the US army, have no influence on the continuation of the offensive and the successful operations of the Iranian army.” — Iranian armed forces spokesperson via rmf24.pl Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed office on March 8, 2026, following the death of his father Ali Khamenei in the opening strikes of the conflict, declared that the killing of Iranian commanders would not alter Tehran's position. Khamenei specifically referenced the death of Majid Khademi, the IRGC intelligence commander, assuring that it would not disrupt the "compact formation" of Iranian forces. Iran's ambassador to Pakistan wrote on social media that mediation efforts were approaching a "critical, sensitive stage," though the chances of a deal before the deadline were assessed as slim by market analysts.

Oil surges past $116 as Hormuz blockade tightens Oil markets reacted sharply to the escalating rhetoric, with U.S. WTI spot contracts rising more than 3.5 percent on Tuesday morning to break above $116 per barrel, while Brent crude climbed to $114.5 in the spot contract and the May futures contract reached $111.5 per barrel. The Strait of Hormuz has remained effectively blocked since Iran closed it following the start of the American-Israeli military campaign on February 28, 2026, cutting off a route that carries approximately 20 percent of global oil production and approximately 30 percent of liquefied natural gas to world markets. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, eight tankers were expected to pass through the strait on Monday, with traffic partially resuming but remaining restricted largely to countries Tehran considers "friendly." Iranian IRGC forces detained two Qatari LNG tankers on Monday, according to MarineTraffic data analyzed by HFI Research. Ed Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research, was quoted by Reuters as saying the outcome was "impossible to predict," noting that Iran could back down, Trump could again postpone the deadline citing negotiating progress, or the war could escalate further.

2026-02-28: 82, 2026-03-15: 95, 2026-04-01: 108, 2026-04-07: 116

F-15 rescue mission used 155 aircraft and a deliberate deception Trump revealed details of a rescue operation conducted after a U.S. F-15 fighter jet was shot down over Iran, disclosing that 155 aircraft participated in the mission and that a deliberate deception was used to mislead Iranian forces about the pilot's location. „To a large extent, it was a ruse. We wanted them to think that this soldier was in a different place, because they had huge military forces there. Thousands of people were looking for him.” — Donald Trump via Gazeta Prawna Trump said U.S. forces deliberately destroyed their own aircraft rather than leave them on Iranian soil, and that two older transport planes became stuck in wet sand during the operation. The rescued officer was ultimately extracted by helicopter, and Trump stated no American soldier was harmed during the mission. Trump also provided an update on two U.S. soldiers injured in a separate aircraft incident over Iranian territory, saying both were injured but were now in good condition. On the Israeli side, army spokesperson Kamal Penhasi issued a warning in Persian on social media urging Iranian civilians to avoid train travel until 21:00 Iranian local time on Tuesday, stating they were "risking their lives" by being near railway lines. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had the previous day ordered the IDF to continue attacks "with full force on the infrastructure of the Iranian terrorist regime," while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had declared at the start of April that 70 percent of Iranian steel production capacity had been destroyed.

The U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran, designated Operation Epic Fury, began on February 28, 2026. The opening strikes killed Ali Khamenei, Iran's longtime Supreme Leader, prompting the appointment of his son Mojtaba Khamenei to the position on March 8, 2026. Since the conflict began, the coalition has targeted Iranian energy infrastructure, steel production, ports, airports, and research centers, aiming to paralyze the country's export revenues and weaken state finances. Iran responded by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which approximately 20 percent of global oil and 30 percent of global LNG passes, triggering a sustained surge in global energy prices. Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey have been serving as mediators in the conflict, with Pakistan presenting a ceasefire framework to both sides on Easter Monday.